


What Lies Beneath

by AngelsAnarchy



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Charmed - Freeform, Druids, F/M, Hybrids, Magic, Magical Realism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-13
Updated: 2014-10-08
Packaged: 2017-12-23 09:58:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 205,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/925001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelsAnarchy/pseuds/AngelsAnarchy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to Strangers- Maggie has to adjust to life not only without her family but with her new abilities that she tries not to acknowledge. While Derek tries to build them a family & show her the importance of a pack, Scott & Stiles try to protect their friends and family from a new threat to Beacon Hills. Maggie is faced with not only her worst fears but the fate of her inner wolf<br/><img/></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. This Is War

**[Stiles POV]**

It only took a week for Maggie to heal once she had woken up. Everyone was confused and baffled by her quick recovery but even though her body was physically healed, she still hadn't left her room. Dad was starting to worry that she may have brain damage but I knew why she was hurting. She had turned me down every day that she had been back at the house whenever I offered her something fun to do. I just wanted to distract her or remind her of the good things in the world but I understood what it felt like to lose someone special. I couldn't help but feel guilty about the whole situation. Scott was no help either since he was now sneaking around with Allison every chance he got. He said that all Maggie needed was time but I think he was thinking with something other than the head on his shoulders. Maggie didn't seem to mind Scott's absence though. She barely even noticed when someone came in the room to get her to eat something. Last night I went into her room to try and get her to come downstairs for dinner and she got angry with me.

"CAN'T YOU TAKE A HINT?! LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE!" She screamed and I rubbed my head furiously.

"I'M TRYING TO HELP YOU!" I yelled back frustrated.

"I think you've helped enough." Her words were bitter and she stared at me like I had killed her family with my bare hands. I left it at that and went back to my own room to look at all the pictures in my phone. Thing's seemed easy before all this stuff started happening. Thing's with Derek and werewolves. I was too invested in Maggie's happiness to just stop now. I needed her to be alright. I needed her to want to live.

The next morning, I walked past her room thinking she was waiting for me to drive her to school only to see she was still lying on her back with her eyes closed.

"Hey I thought you were going to try and get back to school today? Dad promised Nathan he would get you back to school while he was trying to figure things out." I said holding onto the door knob. She didn't reply or even open her eyes but I knew she wasn't asleep.

"Seriously? Come on, Maggie. Get up. You should at least try and do some school today." I tried the tough love approach as I entered the room.

"If you don't stop pretending to be asleep then I'm going to tickle you." I threatened.

"You tickle me and I'll throat punch you." Her voice was soft but she spoke without opening her eyes.

"She speaks. That's good. How about opening your eyes?" I sat on the side of the bed and put my thumb on her cheek and felt it was damp. She opened her eyes and they were full of pure sadness. It actually hurt to see her open her eyes like that.

"Look, I know you are still hurting but you can't keep yourself locked up here. You need to keep going or else you might as well have just died." I said without thinking.

"That was kind of the point Stiles, please just leave me alone." She rubbed at her head and I sighed heavily.

"O-K. That's it. You have 5 minutes to get dressed. If you aren't dressed by then, you'll wear what you have on. We're skipping today and getting some fresh air in you." I said standing up.

"Stiles-" I cut her off when she groaned.

"Maggie please okay? I know I'm being selfish or whatever but it's killing me to see you like this. Just take one ride with me and I swear that if you still can't find one reason to get out of bed then I'll run you over myself." She looked up at me and bit her bottom lip.

"Fine." She sits up and I clap my hands together excited.

"Awesome. I'll grab some snacks and be in the jeep." I said leaving her in the room. I had only been sitting in the jeep for 20 minutes when she came out squinting at the sun and tugging on her hoodie. She jumped up in the jeep and looked at me as I pushed the CD into the player.

"I made us a road mix of things from my iPod and yours." I smiled but we both jumped when a loud, screaming song filled the car. She covered her ears as I hit the button to the next song which was Lost and Found by Katie Herzig.

"Sorry about that. Let's get on the road." I pulled out of the driveway and headed towards the preserve. There were tons of back roads there and I figured it would give us some nice scenery. She remained quiet as we drove and I rolled her window down so she could get some air on her face. She leaned on the door and stared straight ahead blankly and I started to worry this wouldn't work.

"How do you feel?" I asked her glancing over at her.

"My chest aches, I'm an orphan and my lips are now chapped. How about you?" She turned her head and looked at me.

"Does your chest hurt because of what happened or because you miss your family?" I asked clearing my throat. She looked back out of the window and took a deep breath.

"I'm fine Stiles." She said without much emotion.

"That's the thing, you're not fine. You are the complete opposite of fine actually. You are so unfine that I'm actually nervous you really want me to run you over." I said honestly and she didn't respond.

"Is there seriously nothing on this entire planet that makes you want to keep living? I mean TV is pretty much teen pregnancy shows and the music scene is being taken over by dubstep but there's gotta be something out there." I said as the song changed. It started slow and I figured sad music wouldn't make her feel any better but when I went to change it she stopped me.

"What's wrong?" I asked and she blinked at the radio before looking at me.

"This song…" She said squinting at the dashboard.

"Is sad and probably won't make you feel better." I pointed out and she looked at me with a hint of a smile.

"Do you remember when that one time we talked about songs that make you get lost?" She asked and I nodded at her.

"Of course. You sang for me." I reminded her and she sat back in the seat.

"Well despite how insanely artsy that made me seem, it was something my mom always did when she was trying to get us out of a funk. Every time we would have to pack up and leave town she would pick a new song but this song…" She shook her head and let out a chuckle as a tear fall down her cheek.

"Maggie?" I reached out and took her hand and she closed her eyes.

"This is the song she played whenever I asked her if she'd come back for me. This was her song." Maggie got choked up and I felt horrible. This trip backfired much bigger than I could have ever imagined and now she was crying.

"I-I'm sorry. I'll take you back to the house." I said and she shook her head.

"Can you just…can you speed up?" She asked and I cocked my eyebrow at her before speeding up slightly. I was nervous she might barrel roll from the car but when she rolled the window all the way down and let the window wipe her hair around I could see her lips turn up in a smile. I couldn't help but smile as she let the wind hit her skin and breathe some life back into her face.

"What?" She asked curiously.

"I've been trying to get you to smile since you opened your eyes and all it took was a song." I laughed to myself.

"It's not just the song. It's what it means to me. It's like she's trying to tell remind me that she isn't far and that I need to find my strength." She looked over at me before taking my hand in hers.

"I'm trying Stiles. I really am. I know it doesn't seem that way but every morning I wake up, I can't help but think maybe she'll be there. None of this is your fault, you don't have to take care of me just because you brought me back. I was meant to come back. I've apparently got unfinished business here." She said and I let her hold onto my hand enjoying the warmth.

"Maggie, you are my best friend and I love you. That's why I want to take care of you. I'm here and I'll always be here. You can fight me, yell at me, throw things at me and I won't care. But when you need someone to drive you around and listen to music, I'll be there." I gave her hand a squeeze and she smiled at me faintly before taking my hand between both of her hands and cradling it. She held onto my hand the rest of the drive.

"So how is Lydia doing?" She asked out of the blue.

"She's alright. I haven't actually been in to see her since Scott and I checked her wound but they say she's doing well. Ms. McCall says she's giving her dad hell but nothing new there I assume. Did you want to go with me to visit her?" I asked making Maggie chuckle.

"I'm actually kind of tired. I think your dad was right about getting myself so worked up. After we get this funeral over this week maybe I can get back on track with my actual life." She rubbed her face with her free hand before resting her head against the seat.

"It seems like no matter how much sleep I get I still wake up looking like a train wreck." She pinched the bridge of her nose and I squeezed her hand getting her attention.

"Impossible. I've literally seen you at your worst and you still managed to look beautiful." She blushed and I considered it a simple win.

"You know, your dad told me that you never left the hospital after what happened. Scott said he was trying to manage his time sneaking around with Allison and keeping you company but-" I cut her off.

"I knew Scott couldn't take seeing you like that…or me like that. It was kind of pathetic. He practically forced me to eat and shower." I admitted.

"You know if anything happened to me in the future, I'd want you to take care of yourself. I mean, I hope it never comes to me laid up again but it would break my heart if something to you because you stopped taking care of yourself. Too many people need you Stiles. You're important." She put her free hand on top of our hands and I laughed.

"I'm not that important. You and Scott are important. You've got these skills-" She cut me off."

"That make people want to kill us. Get real." She snorted.

"I'm just saying, I'm the research guy. I help look things up. That's my job in all of this. Anybody could do it." I explained and felt Maggie staring at me.

"What?" I finally said as she stared at me.

"Do you really feel that shitty about yourself? I mean after everything we've gone through, watching Scott deal with this werewolf shit and seeing my own dad try and rip my heart out and you think being human is a weakness." I started to let go of Maggie's hand but she took it and put it on her chest making me swerve the car.

"Mag- what the hell are you doing?" I asked a bit frantic as she held my hand to her left breast.

"Do you feel that?" She asked making me swallow hard.

"Um yeah, yeah I feel that." I said making her roll her eyes.

"My heartbeat dork. I'm talking about my heartbeat." She corrected and I tried to focus on the strong beat against my palm.

"That's because of you. You're a human who saved my life. Stop selling yourself short because all of us would be lost without you." She said before kissing my hand.

"I guess we should head back to the house so you can get some rest. Maybe tonight we could watch a movie or something?" I suggested and she smiled.

"I'd like that." She said biting her bottom lip. Once we got back to the house she headed straight for the bed, kicking her shoes off and tossing her jacket on the chair. I walked over and started to pull her comforter on top of her which made her laugh.

"Tucking me in? It's like 4 PM Stiles. I'm bound to get up." She said pulling the blankets up further.

"Then I'll be here when that happens. I'll try not to be long at the hospital. Did you want me to call Scott to come sit with you or will you be alright?" I asked stroking her hair before I had time to process what I was doing.

"I think I'll be fine. It's just sleeping but if you could bring me something sweet home, you'd be my best friend." She joked as her eyes became lazy. I stood up and started towards the door.

"Stiles…take that crystal with you and give it to Lydia." I looked at the vanity and saw a small, rectangular crystal sitting on top of some school work.

"It's for quick healing. Send my best." Maggie was chewing on the inside of her cheek like she didn't want to show that she was trying to be nice to Lydia which I kind of thought was adorable.

"Get some rest." I said before pulling the door shut. I made sure to lock up the front and back door before I headed out to the hospital. I saw the vending machine on the way in and thought of Maggie. I reached into my pocket for some change and pushed the buttons to get a Reese's but it got hung up in the machine.

"Seriously?" I said out loud before hitting the machine. No one seemed to be around so I tried shaking it a bit. That thing wouldn't budge and I didn't have anymore change to try and get another so it was this one or nothing. I rocked the machine from the top until it started to tip towards me. I let out a yell right before it hit the ground. I was shocked no one came running when it hit the ground. As I tried to pick it up off the ground I heard a piercing scream from Lydia's room.

"Lydia? LYDIA!" I ran towards the room and Ms. McCall rounded the corner.

"What the hell was that?" She said as she followed me into the hospital room. The bathroom door was shut and the shower was on but I busted in any way to find that it was empty. Ms. McCall turned off the water in the shower and I felt a breeze on my face and saw the window was open.

"Oh my God." Her dad said holding up her hospital gown.

"You don't think she left out of here naked do you? It's freezing out." He started to panic and I immediately reached in my pocket to call Scott but he was already dialing me.

"Dude I just heard Lydia's scream. Isn't she still at the hospital?" He asked me.

"No she apparently freaked out and left…naked." I informed him.

"Naked? Why naked? It's freezing out." Scott said making me roll my eyes.

"I don't know man. If I can snag her hospital gown, do you think you can find her by scent?" I asked and I could hear him running.

"I'm on the way." Scott said before hanging up. I tried calling Maggie but she didn't answer so I figured she was asleep still. I heard my dad talking to Ms. McCall and decided to eavesdrop.

"Alright let's get an APB out on a 16 year old red head, any other descriptors?" He asked and I walked out of the room.

"5 foot 3, green eyes, fair skinned and she's actually strawberry blonde." I announced earning strange looks.

"Is that right?" Dad asked.

"Yeah." I confirmed as he gripped the back of my neck to pull me aside.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He whispered through gritted teeth.

"Providing moral support?" I tried but he wasn't buying it.

"You're supposed to be at home with Maggie, especially since I got a phone call that said you both were absent today." He said making me sigh.

"Maggie was having a rough day-" He cut me off.

"She's recovering from a major wound and she just lost an aunt. She's going to have rough days but you both still need to go to school." He said with frustration.

"Fine. I'll get back to the house." I said making sure to tuck the gown safely in my jacket as I walked past the maintenance guys trying to pick up the vending machine. Scott was waiting in the jeep as I came out and I hopped in next to him.

"This is the one she was just wearing?" He asked making me shake my head.

"I'm not going to let anyone hurt her, not again." Scott said trying to reassure her.

"Just shove the thing in your face and let's find her." I said as flicked the lights on and jumped when Allison appeared in front of the jeep. She ran around to Scott's window.

"What are you doing here? Someone could see us?" Scott said panicked.

"I don't care, she is my best friend and we need to find her before they do." Allison said glancing at me.

"I can find her before the cops can." Scott whispered as if it were some insult to my dad but even I knew that these days, werewolves were running the show.

"How about before my father does?" She asked.

"He knows?" I asked shocked.

"Yeah, he and three other guys just left my house in 2 SUV's. It's a hunting party." Allison said and Scott looked at me for confirmation to which I threw my hands up.

"Get in." Scott let Allison into the jeep.

"If she's turning would they actually kill her?" I asked hoping for a positive answer.

"I don't know, they won't tell me anything. All they keep saying is that we'll talk after Kate's funeral when the others get here." Allison said catching my attention.

"What others?" I asked.

"I don't know, they won't tell me that either." She rested her face on her hand pouting.

"Okay, your family's got some serious communication issues to work on." I looked towards Scott as he was leaning out of the window trying to find Lydia's scent.

"Scott, are we going the right way?" I asked him shifting in my seat and feeling something in my pocket jab me.

"Take the next right." He said as I made the turn and pulled the crystal that Maggie gave me out of my pocket.

"What's that?" Allison asked as I rolled it in my fingers.

"Maggie told me to give this to Lydia for quick healing. I never got a chance to give it to her." I explained and Allison put her hand on my shoulder.

"How is she doing?" she asked as I pulled up to the preserve sign.

"She's working through it." I said simply hoping Maggie would sleep through this craziness.

**[Maggie's POV]**

_I felt my bare feet hitting the forest floor as hard as they could, rocks and sticks tearing the skin apart but something told me I was running for my life. I don't know how I got to the woods or why I felt such sudden urgency but I was genuinely afraid as I could hear my heart beating loudly in my ears._

_"Hurry!" I heard a voice say next to me and I realized someone was holding my hand. It was Lydia. It was then that I realized it wasn't my heart beat I was hearing but Lydia's._

_"What is it?!" I asked her too afraid to look back but she didn't answer me. The night air hit my skin harshly and I tried not to let the pain my body was going through effect me. I had to get away from whatever was chasing me, chasing us. Lydia tripped and we both hit the leaves hard. I looked back and saw the red eyes in the darkness. She started to scream and scramble but I reached for her hand pulling her to her feet._

_"Run!" I told her. I wasn't going to let her get hurt. I'd face whatever was chasing us head on and give her a chance to get away._

_"I can't! I can't leave you here!" She cried and I felt my chest ache where Peter had stabbed me. She let out a loud scream as a growl shook my entire body._

I snapped up in the bed, breathing heavily and feeling the familiar burn of the new scars Peter adorned my chest with. The scream echoed outside of the window and I realized that it wasn't just a dream. I threw the sheets off of my legs and walked to the open window as the wind carried into the room. A strong smell of fear and sweat hit my senses and I knew I had to follow it. I hurried down the steps and started out of the house shutting the door behind me. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath taking it all in. My feet started to move in the direction of the preserve. I started to bump into trees and I kept trying to open my eyes but it was like certain sense were taking over and my body wouldn't allow it. Then I heard the scream again and my eyes opened. I looked around the preserve and I didn't see anyone, not even Lydia but when I looked in front of me I knew exactly where I was.

"Ah." I winced as my scars started to burn now that I stood in front of the burnt down Hale house. I hoped I would never come back here after what happened but I was now standing, barefoot, bloody and freezing in front of the exact stop where I died.

_"Come on Maggie, you've got to know a spell or something to fix this. Come on." Stiles said frantically._

_"I can call Deaton, he can help." Scott stumbled to pull his phone out and I reached out towards him._

_"Scott...Scott, there's no time." I said weakly._

_"Don't you do this to me, Maggie. You promised me that we'd have more time. This...this isn't supposed to be like this." Stiles was crying and Scott didn't know what to do._

I opened my eyes trying to shake the memory. I had to focus on why I came out here.

"Lydia?" I called out and tasted blood in my throat. The wind wiped in the trees and stepped towards the house.

"Come on, show me what you want me to see." I said through chattering teeth to no one particular. I was tired of all the mind games that came with the supernatural world. Something brought me out here. I walked up the stairs and remembered watching him drag Kate Argent into the house. I could smell stress, tension in the air. The moment I walked into the house I felt my stomach turn and I vomited. I reached out and gripped the dusty staircase and panted.

Flashes of Peter attacking Lydia as she tried desperately to get away flashed in front of my eyes.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" I screamed.

"That's not how the story goes my dear." I heard his voice and swung my arm out trying to hit whoever it was coming from but no one was there.

"You and Lydia are two sides of one very important coin." I swung again but this time I splintered the wood on the wall. I felt the strength of the wolf creeping up on me and I tried to shake it.

"No…I won't let you. I'm not going to become a monster." I breathed the dust in as I felt like I was being broken. I flipped over on my back and seized up.

"This is your fate." The voice said and I screamed in agony before crawling towards the couch.

"NO!" I screamed until the pain stopped. I started to breathe heavy and I let my body fall back against the dirty wood floor.

"I won't…I won't." I whispered to myself trying to fight my inner wolf and I knew it was working when the coldness of my skin and the pain in my hand and feet started to settle in fighting the healing.

**[Scott's POV]**

"She came here? You're sure?" Stiles asked me as we walked up on the Hale house.

"This is where the scent leads." I said knowing what my nose was telling me. Stiles rolled his head around looking towards the house. None of us had been back to the house since…well since Maggie died and Derek killed any chances of me being normal again.

"Alright but has Lydia ever been here?" Stiles asked Allison who shook her head.

"Not with me." She said as Stiles kept inching towards the house. I knew he never wanted to come back here and I didn't either but I knew we had to find Lydia fast before Allison's family caught up with her.

"Maybe she came here out of instinct, like she was looking for Derek?" She suggested.

"You mean looking for an alpha?" I added.

"Wolves need a pack right?" She said but I huffed. I thought I was doing just fine on my own.

"Not all of them." I said dismissing it.

"But would she be drawn to an alpha. Is it instinct to be drawn to a pack?" Allison stopped me to ask.

"Yeah we're stronger in packs." I said.

"Like strength in numbers." She added.

"No like literally stronger, faster, better in every way." I explained making Allison shake her head. Stiles was weeding through some leaves when I caught a strong smell that wasn't Lydia.

"What's wrong? What are you smelling?" She asked as Stiles continued what he was doing.

"I don't know, I'm getting a lot of another smell right now." I walked closer to the house and looked around.

"What is it?" Stiles asked as he bent down to touch something.

"Maggie." I said making him stop.

"Probably because she bled out a few yards that way, not breaking news Scott but check this out." I kept looking at the house as Allison walked towards Stiles. The next thing I knew something grabbed my ankle and was taking me off my feet swiftly.

"Stiles?" I called out making both of them turn around.

"Yeah buddy-oh." He saw me upside-down and Allison tried not to laugh.

"Next time you see a trip wire…don't trip it." I said rolling my eyes.

"Noted." They walked towards me to help me down when I heard footsteps.

"Wait! Someone's coming…HIDE!" I gritted out as Stiles grabbed Allison's arm and tried to hide. I knew who it was as the scent got closer.

"Scott." It was Chris Argent.

"Mr. Argent." I replied.

"How are you doing?" He asked as I hung upside down in front of him.

"Good, you know just hanging out. Is this one of yours? It's a nice design, very constricting." I joked but his face didn't seem amused.

"What are you doing out here Scott?" He asked cutting to the chase.

"Looking for my friend." There was no point in lying to him.

"That's right. Lydia's in your group now isn't she? Part of your clique or is there another way to put it." I knew what he was getting at.

"Part of your pack?" He questioned.

"Actually clique sounds about right to me." I said firmly not showing fear.

"Good because I know she's a friend of Allison's and you are a special circumstance, obviously and until we know what Maggie is exactly, we can't be too cautious." Mr. Argent narrowed his eyes at me.

"Maggie is what she's always been, innocent." I could feel my temper rising.

"Scott, do you know what a hemicorporectomy is?" He asked randomly.

"No but I have a feeling I don't want to." I admitted.

"Medical term for someone that's amputated at the waist. Cutting them in half. It takes a tremendous amount of strength to cut through tissue and bone like that. Let's hope a demonstration never becomes necessary." He threatened running his hand across my abdomen before standing up and walking away. Allison and Stiles ran up quickly once Chris Argent was out of sight.

"Are you okay?" Allison asked sounding concerned.

"Yeah just another life threatening conversation with your dad." I said throwing my arms out. She ran over to the tree with Stiles to try and get me down but I heard a heartbeat from the house and cut myself down.

"Well look at you being self sufficient werewolf." Stiles joked and I put my hand up.

"Did you hear that?" I asked looking up at the house. They looked at me confused and I broke out into a run towards the house.

"Stay there." I said stopping Stiles and Allison at the door. I stepped into the house and looked around before I saw a body behind the couch. I ran over and saw that it wasn't Lydia but Maggie.

"Maggie?! What the hell are you doing here?" I knelt down and put my hand on her shoulder, which was freezing.

"I-I don't know. I thought I was dreaming and I just ended up here." She rubbed at her head and I took my jacket off to put around her.

"Let's get you home." I put my arms underneath her and she wrapped her arms around my neck.

"No…I've got to find Lydia. I came with Lydia." I looked at her but she was in pajama clothes with cuts all over her legs and feet, practically turning blue from behind out here so long. I knew I had to get her back to Stiles before something worse happens.

"It's going to be okay. I've got you." I started towards the door and the moment they set their eyes on me, I could smell their anxiety.

"Lydia?" Allison said but Stiles moved quickly.

"Maggie?! What the hell is Maggie doing here?" He asked frantically.

"I don't know but she's freezing and cut up. We've got to get her back to your house. Stiles took his coat off and draped it over Maggie as I carried her through the woods and Allison took off her gloves to put on her hands.

"How did she get all the way out here on foot? Your house is a hike." Allison said as we practically ran back to the jeep. I could hear Stiles heartbeat the whole way back to his house as we tried a number of things to warm Maggie up. Allison helped get her cleaned up and finally her injuries started to heal. I could tell Allison wanted to ask why hadn't they healed sooner because of the wolf in her but she didn't.

"I should get home. My mom has called me 3 times already. Will you let me know if you find anything about Lydia?" Allison asked as Stiles hovered over Maggie with another hot water bottle.

"Of course. Be careful going home." I said before kissing her. She glanced over at Stiles and Maggie before heading back down the stairs. I walked into Stiles room as Maggie sipped tea in a bundle of blankets.

"Body temp is up. How do you feel?" Stiles asked Maggie as she rubbed her head.

"Like I'm losing my mind but I guess that's nothing new." She said clearing her throat.

"Do you remember what you said to me back at Derek's?" I asked her and she shook her head.

"I had a dream. I was running through the woods and I had no idea why until I realized Lydia was holding my hand." She explained.

"Was she naked?" Stiles asked making Maggie squint at him.

"It wasn't that kind of dream, perv." Maggie said.

"Lydia went missing tonight. Took off from the hospital without any clothes. We were out looking for her when we found you." I explained and she shook her head.

"But it was just a dream. What would he want with Lydia?" She asked out loud making Stiles look at me concerned.

"Who?" Stiles asked making Maggie snap out of it.

"Peter." Maggie's words shocked both Stiles and I. We figured she was just exhausted so we moved her from Stiles bed into the spare room. I stayed up most of the night thinking about what Maggie had said. How could Peter possibly be communicating with Maggie or Lydia for that matter. Derek clearly ripped his throat out. I was there. The next day, Stiles gave me a ride to school and was catching me up on what he heard from his dad about the graveyard robbery last night.

"She ate the liver?" I questioned completely grossed out.

"No I didn't say she ate it, I said it was missing and so what if she did? The liver is the most nutritious part of the body." Stiles defended and I shook my head.

"How was Maggie this morning?" I asked concerned.

"She was knocked out when I started getting ready so I figured I'd just let her sleep but she didn't mention Peter anymore after you left." Stiles said as we walked up the steps of the school.

"I guess that's a good thing. Our main focus is finding Lydia right now. I know Kate's funeral is today so I'm going to have to stick close to Allison but I'll do what I can to multitask." I said making Stiles stop me.

"Well you're kind of the test study for this whole werewolf shenanigans so what were you drawn to when you were turning? I mean if I can use your knowledge to track her down then you can do the whole secret boyfriend thing for Allison." Stiles said but I bit my lip.

"The only thing that mattered was Allison." Stiles made a face and rolled his eyes.

"My life is like a permanent viewing of the Twilight saga in reverse. I swear to God if vampires show up in Beacon Hills I'm going to kill myself." Stiles said as Jackson pulled into the school lot.

"Maybe we can get Jackson's help." I suggested and Stiles gave me this look like he'd rather chew glass but he started towards the locker room. We had morning practice that was pretty much a bust but we did catch Jackson before class.

"If Lydia wants to take a naked hike in the woods, why should I care?" He said rolling his eyes.

"Because we have a pretty good idea that she might be...turning." I said discretely.

"Turning? Into what?" Jackson played dumb and Stiles huffed.

"A unicorn, what do you think dumbass?" He sniped at Jackson.

"Well I think if Lydia is turning then you shouldn't be worried about her but everyone else." Jackson smirked.

"What do you mean?" I asked confused.

"Well she could do some serious damage on me with just her fingernails. Imagine what she'd do with a real set of claws." He said making Stiles shake his head.

"You're a real piece of work, you know that? I never thought Maggie would care more about Lydia then you would." Stiles said making Jackson laugh.

"Maybe Maggie should worry more about herself so she doesn't end up in a padded room." Jackson smirked before he pushed past the both of us. I had to hold Stiles back so he didn't go after him but we had bigger things to worry about. We walked into chemistry to take a pop quiz and I could feel the tension in the air.

"It's causing me severe mental anguish to say this but he's right." Stiles said from behind me.

"About Maggie being in a padded room?" I asked confused.

"What?! No! I meant about Lydia!" Stiles raised his voice and Mr. Harris hit the desk.

"This is a pop quiz Mr. Stilinski, if I hear your voice one more time I will give you detention for the rest of your high school career." He threatened.

"Can you do that?" Stiles asked making me shake my head.

"Ah there it is again, your voice. The only sound that has ever triggered an impulse for me to strike a student repeatedly and violently." Harris said.

"I'll see you at 3:00 for detention." He said as others in the class tried not to laugh out loud.

"I can't, I have to take care of Maggie Stevens. She's staying at my house and she needs medical-" Before Stiles could finish what he was saying, the door to the classroom opened up and Maggie walked in looking completely refreshed.

"Uh sorry I'm late. I have a pass." She held up the slip of paper before walking it towards Mr. Harris.

"We're taking a pop quiz. I hope you've studied in you absence." Mr. Harris handed Maggie the quiz and she took her seat at Danny and Jackson's table. I looked back at Stiles before glancing over at her back. Jackson's nose started to bleed and she handed him a tissue before he got up quickly and got a pass from Mr. Harris. I couldn't believe that this was the same Maggie who we found freezing in the burnt down house last night babbling about her dead father.

**[Maggie's POV]**

I woke up this morning feeling restless. I don't know what rejuvenated me but by the time I got to school I felt like I was ready to conquer the world. Everyone was staring at me as I sat in chemistry taking a pop quiz. Even Stiles and Scott looked surprised to see me but I didn't think it was such a big deal. I looked up to see Danny shaking his head at me.

"What are you staring at?" I whispered.

"The girl who I was told was actually dead like two weeks ago looking twice as hot since the last time I saw her. Were you really in an accident or did you go away to have work done?" He teased and I laughed.

"I just woke up this morning and felt like I was ready to get back to my life. I mean, I've got to start somewhere right?" I said making Danny smile.

"Well you look good and I'm glad you're back." He said as the bell rang. I got up and walked out into the hallway running straight into Isaac.

"Hey! Oh wow, I didn't even…Hi." Issac said looking stunned. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he hesitated before putting his arms around me.

"It's so good to see you." I said smiling at him but then I pulled back and noticed his black eye.

"I wanted to come visit you but Scott didn't think it was a good idea with Stiles always there. I was worried about you but you look…wow." He said again and I bit my lip before reaching up to his face.

"I wish I could say the same. What happened?" I asked concerned but he caught my hand.

"Oh I had an accident last night on the digger. It's no big deal." He brushed it off and I could hear the skip in his heartbeat when he lied. I shook my head and realized he was still holding my hand.

"What are you doing right now?" I asked him randomly and he looked around.

"Nothing I guess. I mean I have lunch right now but-" I cut him off.

"How about we go to the library and catch up. I've missed you." I admitted seeing his face light up.

"Really? I mean sure yeah." He smiled as we walked into the library. We walked over to a table and sat down. Isaac reached into his bag and pulled out a fake flower.

"I got this for you the night of the dance. I'm sorry I had to bail. I didn't want you to think that I had planned on bailing so I figured I'd give you this. Normal flowers die so I got the guys that do some of the flowers for the cemetery to pick one out for you." Isaac handed me the flower and I smiled.

"I didn't know what color you were wearing so I figured black would cover all my bases. Sorry it's kind of squashed. I've had it in my bag since I bought it." Isaac apologized but I leaned up to kiss his cheek.

"It's beautiful, thank you." I felt the silk petals as he adjusted in his chair.

"So how are you? They said it was touch and go for a while but you look like you've bounced back." Isaac said making me blush.

"I guess it was pretty bad for awhile but once I left the hospital, I knew I was going to have to snap out of it eventually. Karen would have wanted me to be strong." I said seeing Isaac's face drop.

"I'm sorry to hear about your family too. Your aunt was always really nice to me." Isaac apologized and I looked at him. He was genuine but he seemed nervous.

"She really liked you." I put my hand on top of his and he gave me a weak smile.

"I actually...I wanted to ask you about something else." Isaac said catching my attention.

"You can ask me anything." I said interested.

"I ran into someone you know the other night from your family, I think...D-derek? Derek Hale?" Isaac stuttered out as he glanced over my shoulder towards the window.

"He's my cousin. Did he say something to you?" I asked confused as to why suddenly Isaac was so tense but he shook his head and stood up.

"I've actually got to get going. I'm sorry I can't stay and talk with you more but-" I cut him off.

"Is everything okay?" I asked standing up quickly.

"No- yeah everything's fine. I just...I need to be somewhere." Isaac started to walk towards the door and I felt like I had scared him off.

"Isaac wait-" He turned around and gave me a sympathetic smile.

"I'm sorry." He apologized again before disappearing out of the library. Something was clearly bothering Isaac but I don't know what got under my skin more, that he was lying to me or that he was asking about Derek for some odd reason. I hadn't seen or heard from Derek since I was in the hospital but suddenly he was creeping around Isaac? That was all too suspicious to me.

_"You mean the crazy bitch who killed all those people?"_ A voice broke through my thoughts and I looked around.

_"Did you also hear that Maggie Stevens actually came back today. She's the only survivor of her aunt's rampage."_ Another voice broke through and I could tell it was two different girls talking to each other.

_"How could she possibly be back already?_ " I walked around the library and didn't see anyone.

_"Probably because she's a witch._ " They both laughed. I walked out in the hallway and saw Allison standing at her locker. I knew she was with Scott and Stiles last night but I didn't really say much to her. To be honest, I didn't have much to say anyway.

_"Here we thought the witch was a freak, the other new girl is part of a serial killer clan."_ I finally caught sight of the girls and walked straight up to them.

"You want to know what's more pathetic than girls that gossip?" I asked with a smile clearly catching them off guard.

"Nothing." My face went serious and I hoped my point was made as they rolled their eyes and shut their lockers.

"Whatever." The girl said as she walked away. Allison took a deep breath and turned to me.

"Thanks. As if this morning couldn't get any worse, I thought I was going to fall apart just listening to them." Allison was looking at me but I didn't bother to look back as I stared the girls down.

"Yeah well I didn't step in for you so no need to thank me." I said bitterly.

"…what?" Allison was confused as I finally looked at her. All I could see was her shooting Derek with arrows and trying to kill Scott. My blood boiled when I looked into her eyes and I wasn't sure if it was just her or because I saw Kate when I looked hard enough.

"When they talk about you and your family, they are directly talking about my family and I'm not okay with that." I clarified.

"I didn't mean-" I cut Allison off as Scott popped around the corner.

"Let's not sugarcoat things, Allison. Your aunt murdered my family. My best friend loves you but that doesn't mean we have to be anything." I said harshly and I could smell the salt water as she tried to fight tears.

"I've…I've got to go." She slung her dress over her arm and started to walk quickly down the hallway. I watched after her as Scott pulled her into a classroom.

_"How'd you know?"_ Allison asked Scott.

_"I could hear your heartbeat, what is it?"_ He asked her.

_"I just...I can't do this. I can't take all these people talking about me and my family like I'm the one who killed all those people and now they think Kate tried to kill Maggie and she hates me because of it."_ Allison was crying and I could only imagine what Scott was doing to comfort her.

_"Hey, stop that okay. Maggie is just going through some things right now. She doesn't know what she's saying."_ I felt my own heartbeat pick up and my anger was rising. How could he sit there and comfort her when I was the one left with no family.

_"I can't go to this funeral. People are going to be there with cameras and I just can't."_ Allison was crying and I could almost hear Scott wiping the tears away.

_"You can do this. I'm going to be there. Not in plain sight but I'll be there."_ The sounds of him kissing her made me turn and hit the locker.

"Little harsh don't you think?" I looked over at a guy who had apparently witnessed the entire exchange.

"I mean, the locker didn't do anything to you or at least it's not in the rumor mill yet." The guy said and I shook my head.

"Better the locker than my best friend's face." I said through gritted teeth. There was a moment of pause before the guy let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry to hear about your family. Welcome back, I'm Matt by the way." He extended his hand and I was leery about touching it. My senses were clearly too sensitive because of wolf trying to sneak through and I didn't need a look into this guy's life.

"I've got to go." I said before walking towards the doors. I could hear Stiles calling my name as I walked outside.

"MAGGIE! Where the hell are you going?" He asked finally catching up with me.

"I've got to get out of here. All I hear is heartbeats and stupid ass conversations. I need to get rid of this." I said running my hand through my hair. Stiles touched my arm slightly and I pulled away.

"What's going on? You can talk to me." He whispered as people walked by.

"I can't pretend it never happened, okay? I know Kate wasn't the one who tried killed me but she did kill my family. I can't just pretend that I'm okay with it." I explained as Stiles stepped closer to me.

"Please just don't touch me right now. It's nothing personal, these heightened sense are killing me and I don't want to latch with you and see something upsetting." I begged but Stiles tightened his lips together.

"It's skin contact right?" He said making me look up at him.

"Yeah why?" I cocked my eyebrow at him and he pulled my jacket up over my arms before pulling me into a hug, being careful not to touch my skin.

"It's going to be okay. Just take a deep breath." I did as Stiles told me to do before he pulled away.

"How about you go home and relax and I'll meet you there after detention?" Stiles was being really sweet and I couldn't help but think it was him trying to take care of me again.

"Thank you." I smiled up at him as he glanced at the clock. He ran inside as I turned away from the school feeling a bit more at ease.

_"Hey, I just left Maggie. No I didn't tell her we were going to the funeral but I'm going to meet her after we check out the Argent's. I'm not going to be the one to tell her to cut Allison some slack. That falls on you big guy."_ Stiles was on the phone with Scott and I felt my face heat up. I was done with these random abilities. I practically ran all the way to the animal hospital to find Dr. Deaton working with a cat that hissed at me the moment I entered.

"Ms. Stevens, it's so good to see you-" I cut him off.

"Tell me how to stop it." I said firmly.

"Excuse me?" He asked confused as he put the cat back in it's cage.

"I don't want to be a wolf. I don't want these abilities. Tell me how to stop this or I'm going to do a spell to get rid of them myself." I threatened seeing his eyebrows go up.

"I don't recommend doing that. Perhaps you should just come in and talk with me for a bit. Tell me what's on your mind." Deaton gestured to a seat and I took it.

"I'm tired of hearing someone lie to my face or talk about me behind my back. I hate smelling people's emotions or the sudden urge to want to destroy things when I get pissed off. I can't control the wolf and my witch. I'd rather deal with the evil I know." I explained.

"While I understand your struggle, there is unfortunately no way to get rid of your wolf without killing you and that's actually a process in itself." Deaton said frowning.

"Great so I'm indestructible? Awesome. Even if I wanted to die, I couldn't." I said throwing my hands up.

"Oh it's possible but it's not easy and it's extremely painful." He pointed out.

"Then there's got to be a way I can silence the wolf. Control it from the outside, like putting a muzzle on it." I said resting my hands on the operating table.

"Well there is but you should learn more about what you are before you go and try to box it away. You are a very powerful being Maggie. You are a key part of something extraordinary." Deaton lowered his voice but I looked at him.

"I never wanted any of it and if I'm going to have to live with it then I want to be in control. I refuse to let what I am dictate how I live my life." I said as he stared at me sadly.

"Please Deaton...I can't deal with this right now. When the time comes I will let you be my Yoda but right now I just need to feel like I'm in control of at least one part of my life." I begged seeing Deaton's face lighten.

"In order to control your wolf, you need to find something that tethers you to your human side. Something like an anchor, something meaningful to you that you can attach to in order to keep the human side of yourself in control. You can fight it Maggie but I wish you'd embrace it." Deaton said as I stood up.

"You are also the only one that will be able to pinpoint Ms. Martin's location." I stopped and looked at him.

"You've been feeling the connection, haven't you?" He asked me.

"What does it mean?" I asked curiously but he shook his head.

"Now that is another story for another day. Right now, you need to use your abilities to bring her in from the cold. You'll know what to do when you see it. Trust your instinct and follow the moon." He said mysteriously. It was 4 in the afternoon and he wanted me to follow the moon? I started towards the door before he stopped me.

"Before you go, may I ask why you came to me and not Derek? I know he's not really your Alpha but he is your only living relative at the moment and he's a born wolf." Deaton asked me.

"I had a dream once that you came to my house and talked to my mother about what I was going to become and how important I would be. For a long time I thought it was just a dream but when I died...when I died I realized it wasn't a dream. You're a protector and I trust you." I said making him smile.

"I'm happy to hear it." He said folding his arms over his chest.

"But keep in mind that if you ever do anything that hurts me or the people I love, I will lose control in the worst way and you'll be my first target." I warned but his smile didn't falter.

"It would seem that you've found an anchor." Deaton said proudly. I shook my head at him realizing I had also found my anchor.

**[Stiles POV]**

I sat in detention for the additional half hour thanks to Harris and glared the entire time. I needed to meet Scott at the cemetery to get an eyeball on whoever was coming in town for Kate's funeral. Apparently this person was important since they were keeping it secret. I texted Maggie letting her know Harris was keeping me longer in detention but she never texted me back. When the clock finally hit 4:30 I put my hands on the table.

"You can go Mr. Stilinski but be sure to let your patient know that she's fallen behind quite a bit in her absence and if she doesn't get her work caught up then she'll be flunking for the semester." My jaw dropped.

"You know what she's been through. You couldn't even cut her some slack?" I asked a bit disgusted with Mr. Harris.

"You kids today think you can just do and say whatever you please well here's a harsh news flash for you: You're only children. If Ms. Stevens doesn't know to stay away from serial killers than she is more dense then even you. Now get out of my classroom." He snarled at me but I had to swallow my words because I knew if I cussed him out then it would make things even worse. I would just have to make time to help Maggie study for the upcoming assignments.

I parked a ways away from the cemetery and ran through the woods before I saw Scott hiding behind a statue. I stumbled and he rolled his eyes at me as I knelt behind him.

"What's going on, update me." I said hitting his shoulder.

"The old guy is Allison's grandfather and from what I can tell he's pretty scary." Scott whispered just as he looked over at us. We backed up and tried to stay still.

"Well he's definitely an Argent." I said as we peeked back around the statue. Allison met our eye line and Scott waved. I shook my head.

"Maybe he's just here for the funeral. What if they're the non-hunting side of the family. That's possible right? Non-hunter Argents. I mean what would they need more Argent hunters for?" I questioned and Scott looked back at me.

"They're reinforcements." He said simply.

"Do you think Karen's funeral will be this chaotic?" I asked but Scott shrugged.

"I hope not." Scott said before we were pulled up from the ground roughly by my dad.

"You two are unbelievable. Pick up my tie." He said through gritted teeth.

"Uh sorry, I know I'm supposed to ask-" I was cut off by the commotion happening just left of the funeral.

"It's Maggie." Scott said making the Sheriff squint his eyes.

"Ah dammit all to hell. Get in the cruiser." He tossed us towards the cruiser but we followed him towards where cameras and tv crews had swarmed her.

"Will you be pressing charges against the Argent family?"

"How do you feel after almost dying?"

"Do you have any actual family left to take care of you?"

Dad stepped in quickly and put his arm around Maggie.

"What are you doing here?" He whispered as he pulled her through the crowd.

"Mr. Lahey called and wanted the payment for the burial. I was just dropping it off." She said hiding her face.

"Ms. Stevens." We all stopped as the old man walked over to us. Maggie stared at him hard as he put his hands in his pockets.

"My name is Gerard Argent, I was Kate's father." He introduced himself.

"I'm sorry about the disruption Mr. Argent-" Maggie interrupted my dad.

"Disruption? His daughter murdered my entire family and you're apologizing for me paying a bill?" She said looking at my dad.

"Maggie." I said her name trying to get her to back down but she cut her eyes at me.

"It's no disruption, I merely wanted to express my deepest sympathies. It truly is a tragedy." He said a little too kindly. Maggie stared at Gerard for a few moments before shaking out of the crowd and going into the woods. My dad gripped my shoulder and pointed at me.

"Take her back to the house and stay there. Do you understand me?" He said with embarrassment and anger in his voice. I shook my head at him before turning and running after her.

"What the hell are you doing out here? I know you weren't paying a bill because we already did that." I pulled on her arm and she stopped.

"I need to get back to the house. I think I read it wrong." She said scratching her head.

"What?" I asked confused.

"The books...I'm working on something important." She said looking at some papers in her hand. We walked back to the jeep and Scott said he was going to stay just in case something else happened. I was so angry as I rode in silence with Maggie. She was working on her magic again and she'd only been out of the hospital for a week. She ran into the house and up the stairs quickly and I slammed the door shut hoping she would pick up on it but when I walked upstairs she was moving about my room.

"I was wrong. I read it backwards. She wouldn't be in the cemetery until tomorrow. I know exactly where-" I cut her off.

"What the hell were you thinking back there huh? Completely throwing my dad under the bus when he was trying to save you." I raised my voice and she looked up form what she was doing.

"I didn't need to be saved. I can handle myself." She said shrugging.

"Did that guy look friendly to you? Kate killed your whole family and you want to push up on the guy in charge?! Are you out of your mind?" I threw my arms out and Maggie shut the book she was looking in.

"I'm not afraid of the Argents! Peter was the one who killed me. I can handle them!" She stepped forward and I raked my hands down my face.

"You told me you would be at the house. You can't keep telling me you're going to be one place and not being there." I explained and she shook her head.

"I suppose Harris just decided to start making his detentions in the cemetery then? Don't get on my back about lying when you do the exact same thing." She pointed at me. She wasn't trying to understand the stress it was putting on me.

"Look we were trying to be gentle with you last night but it's time to get real. Lydia is missing and needs to be found. That's our number one priority." I said firmly making her squint at me.

"Why are you so upset? I was just trying to help." She tried to show me what was in her hand but I stopped her.

"You don't get it do you? I can't be here taking care of you when she's out there all alone. She isn't like you. She can't handle this crap. She's just human, Maggie." Maggie looked stunned as I unloaded on her but she took it.

"I guess you're right. But I wasn't in here studying up on my freakish abilities, I was trying to help you find Lydia. This is where she'll be." Maggie tossed a book at me and I barely caught it.

"Wait what? How did you-" I looked down at the book and then back at her as she backed towards the door.

"For the record, I don't need you to take care of me and I sure as hell don't want to hinder your search for Lydia but don't think you can just talk to me like I'm some child." She said with glassy eyes. I looked down at the handwritten piece of paper stuck in the page and it had an exact location. I suddenly felt like such an asshole.

"Mags, I'm sorry I didn't mean-" She cut me off.

"You better hurry. She might not be in that spot for long." She said before walking into her room and shutting the door behind herself. I wanted to follow her but I knew we had to find Lydia. I banged my head against the wall as my cell rang.

"Hey, your dad just rushed out of here on an emergency call. Something got in the back of an ambulance off of Route 5." Scott said over the phone as I glanced at the coordinates Maggie gave me.

"That's where these points lead. I'll meet you there." I said frantically as left my room. I put my hand on Maggie's door but didn't want to bother her. I hauled ass out of the house and got in jeep heading to where the points lead. I found Scott in the woods as the sun started to go down. We walked up on the ambulance and saw the guy that was torn apart in the back. Blood was everywhere and the driver was pacing back and forth while my dad was on scene.

"What the hell is Lydia doing?" I asked confused by how vicious the attack was.

"I don't know." Scott said not being able to take his eyes off it.

"What kept you from doing that? Was it Allison?" I asked.

"I hope so." Scott said as I thought about Maggie. I couldn't take all this stress. We needed to find Lydia so I could focus on things with Maggie. I didn't want her to think I was putting her on a back burner but I also didn't need Lydia turning up maimed.

"Do you need to get closer?" I asked Scott to try and motivate him.

"No, I've got it." He started to move and I stopped him.

"Just...just find her. I've got to know she's alright before I focus on Maggie." I said pathetically and Scott looked at me.

"Did something happen when you took her back to the house?" He asked and I shook my head.

"It's going to be okay Stiles. We'll get Lydia and we can focus on getting our Maggie back." He patted me on the shoulder and I nodded at him before he took off to chase down Lydia. After a while, I couldn't stand waiting in the bushes anymore and decided to drive up on the scene.

"Stiles, what the hell? I thought I told you-" I cut him off.

"I know but she's at home and she's locked herself in her room because I gave her crap about the way she acted." I said tucking my hands in my pocket. I hoped Scott found Lydia by now and was getting her some help.

"She's a teenage girl who just lost her family. She's bound to be a bit moody, son. Maybe once we find the Martin girl we can try and have a quiet night at the house. The funeral is going to be hard enough for her." He explained as we stood on scene.

"Are you okay? I mean you look a bit out of it. Was the argument that bad?" Dad asked and I just shook my head before something caught my eyes. Out of the woods walked a very scared and very naked Lydia.

"Lydia?" I whispered catching his attention.

"Lydia...LYDIA!" I repeated loud enough to snap her out of whatever trance she was in. She looked up at me and I could feel my eyes widen just trying not to drool.

"Well...is anyone going to get me a coat?" She asked throwing her arms out revealing two perky- NO! Calm down Stiles. I started to try and peel my dad out of his coat but I ended up tripping over my own feet hitting the ground hard. He walked towards her to give her a coat as the EMT's ran up to give her blankets. I looked at the sheet of paper and saw there was a time on it. I checked my phone and realized Maggie was right, like exactly right but I couldn't help but wonder if Maggie was dead on then who was Scott chasing through the woods?

**[Scott's POV]**

When I finally caught up to the wolf and tackled it to the ground, I realized quickly that it wasn't Lydia but he wouldn't stop long enough for me to ask it who exactly it was and why he was tearing people up in Beacon Hills.

"STOP!" I yelled just as he jumped into the same trap I had found myself in just last night. I tried helping him but was knocked off my feet by Derek.

"What are you doing?! I can help him!" I said fighting Derek as he drug me back towards the woods.

"It's too late! They're here! Stop fighting me." He growled as he bear hugged me to his chest. I watched as Chris Argent and his men ascended from the trees towards the captured wolf. I froze once I saw Allison's grandpa, Gerard walk up on him. The wolf screamed as Chris Argent used the same stun gun on him as he used to bring Maggie back to life. He came out of wolf form immediately.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Chris asked him.

"Nothing, I swear." The man said as he hung defenseless in front of them.

"You're not from around here are you? ARE YOU!?" Chris was growing impatient.

"No I came here looking for the alpha. I heard he was here and I figured he could show me where the Nyvlora was, that's all. Look I didn't do anything, I didn't hurt anyone. The guy in the ambulance was already dead." The man started to whimper.

"What is the Nyvlora?" I whispered.

"It's what Maggie is now." Derek growled back.

"Gentlemen, take a look at a rare sight. It's an Omega, a lone wolf. Possibly kicked out of his own pack or a survivor of a pack that was hunted down. Possibly alone by his own choice. Certainly not a wise choice." Gerard said before walking over to his bag and pulling out a huge sword. I felt my heartbeat speed up.

"Because as I'm about to demonstrate, an omega rarely survives on his own." He swung the sword cutting right through the guy and I started to panic. Derek held onto me and wouldn't let me go as I struggled to get away.

"Look! Look at them! Do you see what they do! This is why you need me, why we need each other. The only way to fight them and keep Maggie safe is together." Derek seethed.

"What are they doing? Why did they do that?" I asked sounding terrified.

"Declaring war." Derek said staring at them. Christ Argent walked up to Gerard as they all looked at the dead man hanging in the tree.

"What are you doing? We have a code!" He defended but Gerard didn't even bat an eyelash.

"Not when they murder my daughter. No code, not anymore. From now on these things are just bodies waiting to be cut in half." He said but Chris shook his head.

"She's just a girl." He was actually defending Maggie in a whisper.

"Are you listening?! I don't care if they're wounded and weak or seemingly harmless, begging for their life promising to never ever hurt anyone. Or some desperate, lost soul with no idea what they're getting into. Not even a 16 year old girl. We find them, we kill them. We kill them all." He said looking around the woods. Derek started to pull me away from them as Gerard and his men started to take the wolf out of the tree and I couldn't wrap my head around it.

"Peter killed Kate and you killed Peter, why would they go after us now? The debt is settled." I pointed out as we walked.

"They think I killed Kate and they're going after Maggie because she's their worst nightmare. Hunters go for centuries hoping that the Nyvlora never becomes a reality but the moment Maggie was born it was her destiny to become it. She is the most powerful hybrid of our kind. There are very few things that are as powerful as her but she's just a kid. She needs protection, the protection of a pack." Derek explained and I was stunned. I didn't know what to say. He jerked onto my arm stopping me.

"Look, you don't want to be a part of my pack that's fine but I'm going to do what I have to in order to protect Maggie. Either you're with me or against me." Derek let go of my arm and started to walk away. I thought about what he had said and what I just watched the guy go through and couldn't help but think that could be my fate. I saw the light on in Stiles house but no cars were in the drive so I looked in the window. Maggie was lying on the sofa with the TV on. I knocked on the door but when she didn't answer, I used the key under the flowerpot. I thought she was sleeping when I walked in but she let out a heavy sigh.

"If you're here to yell at me too then don't get offended if I keep my eyes closed." She spoke and I didn't know how to answer. I looked at her lying on the couch in old sweats and realized just how young we all truly were. She opened her eyes and looked up at me.

"Are you okay?" She asked concerned.

"Um- yeah sorry. Sorry I didn't mean to wake you, I just needed to tell you something." Maggie sat up as I rocked back and forth on my feet trying to figure out what exactly I came here to say.

"You know I love you right?" I said quickly.

"Oh God, what did you do?" She chuckled.

"I'm being serious." I said squaring my jaw. Maggie's heartbeat picked up slightly and I knew she was worried now.

"Scott, what's going on? Did something happen? Is this about Allison because I'm going to need some time before I can-" I cut her off as she started to panic."

"I just need you to know that you are like a sister to me and I love you more than anything. I'd never let anything happen to you, you know that right? You've got to know that." I didn't want to touch her because I was afraid she would see what I saw in the woods but she nodded her head.

"I know, I love you too." I smiled at her weakly as the front door opened.

"Lydia is alright, well as alright as a girl walking through the woods naked in cold weather can be. She doesn't even remember any of it." Stiles said as I passed him at the door.

"That's good man." I said without looking at him. Stiles stopped me by putting his hand on my shoulder.

"Whoa, are you alright? what happened in the woods?" Stiles asked as Maggie got up from the couch to look at the two of us.

"Just lock the door tonight, alright? I'll see you in the morning?" I said before walking out of the door. I looked back briefly to see Maggie and Stiles staring after me as I ran home. Derek was right. Gerard was declaring war and for the first time since I've become a werewolf, I truly felt like it may come down to saving Maggie or letting go of Allison.


	2. Ties That Bind

**[Maggie's POV]**

_Someone was kissing my neck. I had no idea who it was but the feeling was something to get lost in. I figured it was Stiles considering he was the closest person to creep in here and attempt to make out with me but when the person's head lifted I was surprised to see it was Isaac. Before I could say anything he leaned down slowly to capture my lips. I kept my eyes open for a moment before shutting them and moving my lips against his. I reached up and gripped his hair and he groaned. I ran my hands up his shirt and felt the muscles in his back. He pulled his shirt over his head and I started to kiss his jawline down to his neck. I could feel his breath on my neck as I ran my nails down his back but he flinched._

_"Are you okay?" I asked pulling away to see his entire body covered in bruises._

_"Oh God! Isaac!" My hands were shaking as they ran over his body. The door suddenly burst open and his father was standing there, growling._

_"Dad…dad no! Dad please!" He grabbed Isaac by his hair and threw him against the wall._

_"STOP! LEAVE HIM ALONE!" I screamed as I tried to get off the bed but I couldn't move for some reason. Isaac reached out for me as his father dragged him out into the hallway but I couldn't reach him. I could see the shadow in the hallway as I screamed. His father was beating him as he cried out and suddenly his father's shadow turned into a wolf._

_"NO! DON'T! LEAVE HIM ALONE!" I watched blood spray across the wall and I was being shaken._

"Maggie! Wake up! Maggie?!" It was the Sheriff. I sat up quickly and the Sheriff and Stiles were standing over me looking worried.

"It was just a dream, are you okay?" The Sheriff asked with concern.

"Isaac." I said out of breath.

"Well this just became awkward." Stiles said earning a hit from his dad in the chest.

"I've got to make sure he's okay. Something's happened to him, his dad is..." I jumped out of the bed and tried to get my shoes but the Sheriff stopped me.

"Whoa whoa just calm down Maggie. Let's just talk about this-" He put his hands on my arms and I shook him off.

"He's going to kill him!" I cried.

"Who's going to kill who?" Stiles asked confused.

"Isaac Lahey. He's going to kill Isaac. I have to go over there." I fought to get away but the Sheriff put his hand on my shoulders to sit me down.

"I can have one of the deputies go over there and check things out but you've got to calm down sweetheart." He said trying to soothe me. I shook my head and buried my face in my hands. Stiles sat down next to me, putting his arm around my shoulders to pull me into his chest. The Sheriff walked out of the room as Stiles rubbed my arm up and down.

"It was just a dream Mags, It's going to be okay." Stiles said into the top of my head.

"I just can't take anyone else getting hurt right now." I said taking a deep breath.

"So do you dream about Isaac often?" Stiles asked with a little nervous laugh. I looked up at him and he looked almost hurt.

"It's just...I was checking on you and you were...okay for a few minutes and then you started screaming." Stiles explained.

"Define okay." I said praying I didn't do anything embarrassing but Stiles cheeks turned red like they did when he was flustered.

"You were...moaning." Stiles said and he shifted uncomfortably. The Sheriff came back in with his phone in his hand interrupting what would have probably been a seriously awkward moment.

"Patrol car went by and knocked on the door. Both Isaac and his father are fine." I let out a sigh of relief and rubbed at my eyes.

"I'm sorry. I'm just...I'm sorry." I apologized and he shook his head.

"Don't be sorry. You've got a lot going on right now. Just try and get some sleep." He said giving Stiles a look.

"Did you want me to stay with her tonight?" Stiles asked making the Sheriff lift his eyebrows.

"It's okay. I'll be fine. You're probably right. Tomorrow just has me stressed. I'll put my headphones on and go back to sleep." I settled back in the bed and Stiles stood up.

"Just yell if you need anything." The Sheriff put his hand on Stiles shoulder leading him out of the room. I laid back in the bed and tried to shake the negative feelings I had. Isaac was in my head most of the night. I sent him a text but he never responded. I only hoped that sending the police to his house didn't get him in hot water with his dad. I couldn't fall asleep fully thinking I might have gotten him another beating. I jumped awake when his scream echoed in my head.

"Another bad dream?" I looked over at the window and Derek was standing there. I looked at the door and saw it was shut now.

"You don't look so good." He said walking closer to the bed.

"Thanks cousin of mine. You always know what to say." I sat up and rubbed my head.

"I'm surprised you didn't wake up when I came through the window. You should be able to hear me coming." Derek questioned and I just stared at him. I wasn't going to get into it with Derek this morning about not using my wolf abilities. All I could think about was Karen's funeral.

"What do you want Derek?" I asked with a sigh.

"I know today is going to be rough but I want you to know that you don't have anything to worry about. I'm taking care of everything." Derek said confidently.

"What's there to take care of? The memorial isn't until later today. I've got to do the graveside by myself in the morning but the boys will be with me and then I plan to just sleep for the rest of the day. Not much you can really assist with." I explained but he put his hand on my arm.

"I'm going to build us a pack. I won't let you feel alone Maggie. We're family, we'll stick together in all of this." Derek said confusing me.

"A pack? What are you-" Derek cut me off.

"Don't worry. It's all going to be okay." Derek squeezed my hand before standing up.

"Derek please don't-" Before I could finish my thoughts, Derek was out of the window just as the bedroom door opened.

"You're up." Stiles said sitting down on the bed.

"Please tell me that this day is over and I'm going back to sleep." I said shaking my head.

"Sadly it's not but it will be over soon enough. Dad's going to be here with you most of the day and I'll be home right after school for the funeral and the memorial, okay?" Stiles said tucking a piece of my hair behind my ears. I honestly loved when he did that. I smiled slightly and he returned it.

"We'll get through today together, I promise." He said before kissing my forehead.

"You better get going. I've got to get myself cleaned up." I said pulling my blankets back. I tried to stand up and stumbled a bit but Stiles grabbed me and held me close to him.

"I can't even get out of bed right today." I joked looking up at him.

"Just take it slow." Stiles stared at me for a moment and I felt my breath catch in my throat as the sheriff cleared his throat.

"Yeah um, Stiles you need to get to school so you can make it to the funeral on time. No excuses either." He pointed at Stiles and I felt a headache coming on.

"I will dad. Chill out." Stiles said as John walked back downstairs.

"Are you okay?" He put his hand on my arm and I shook my head.

"Lots of nightmares last night. I'll be fine. I'll see you after school." I said trying to get him to go to school and stop worrying about me. He looked at me unsure before nodding his head and walking to the door. I could feel his nerves and it only made things in my stomach feel more anxious. After the dreams about Isaac, Derek's creepy talk and Stiles vibes, I was silently praying this day was over already.

**[Scott's POV]**

I glanced at the dress pants and shirt my mom had left out for Karen's funeral and memorial today before heading outside to get into the jeep with Stiles. I texted Maggie in the morning but she had only responded with a simple "I'm fine" which usually meant she wasn't.

"Hey man, let's get going. The last thing I need is to be late for morning practice." Stiles said with a sigh.

"Sorry, my mom wanted to make sure I had my dress pants hanging up so they weren't wrinkly for today." Just the mention made Stiles groan.

"I hated leaving Maggie this morning. I can tell she's trying to tough it out but she forgets I've known her forever." Stiles said gripping the steering wheel.

"Yeah I texted her this morning and she said she was fine, which of course is code for I'm not going to complain but I'm hating life right now." I said looking out the window as he drove.

"She had a nightmare last night. Scared the hell out of my dad." Stiles explained.

"What was it about?" I asked curiously.

"Isaac Lahey. Apparently she was worried about him or something. My dad actually had to send a unit over to check on him but he was fine." Stiles said looking agitated.

"Why would she be dreaming about Isaac?" I questioned.

"Who knows it's probably because of the full moon coming but I think we should take Maggie out tomorrow. It would take her mind off of Karen and maybe she'll stop having nightmares." Stiles said as we pulled up to the school.

"You're probably right with the full moon theory but the good news is I won't need you to lock me up this time." I said but Stiles shook his head dismissing me.

"No seriously! It's not like it was the last full moon. I don't feel the same!" I tried to explain.

"Oh does that include the urge to maim and kill people, like me." Stiles said sarcastically.

"I swear I don't have the urge to maim and kill you." I sighed.

"Yeah you say that now and then the full moon goes up and out comes the fangs and claws and screaming and howling and running everyone. It's very stressful on me so yes I am still locking you up." He said all in one breath.

"Fine but I do think things are more under control now that things are good with Allison." I said with a smile thinking of Allison.

"I'm aware of how good things are with Allison." Stiles said rolling his eyes.

"They're really good." I said putting my hand on the locker.

"Th-thank you. I know." Stiles was clearly getting annoyed with me.

"Like…REALLY good." I groaned making Stiles throw his arms up.

"ALRIGHT! I GET IT! Please just shut the hell up before I get the urge to maim and kill myself." Stiles said shaking his head.

"I got you rubbing in your sexy times and Maggie screaming for another dude." He started to put his combination in.

"You should sound less jealous when you say that." I teased earning a glare.

"Just so you know, I will be double locking you up this time." Stiles warned.

"Well do you at least have something better than handcuffs?" I asked as he pulled his locker open and a chain started to fall out. Everyone looked over at us as the chain continued to fall to the floor in a pile at Stiles feet and Coach made his way over to see what the problem was. He stood there until it finally finished falling and didn't make eye contact.

"Part of me wants to ask but the other part says knowing would be more disturbing than anything I could ever imagine. So I'm gonna walk away." Coach started back towards his office and Stiles laughed it off.

"Wise choice Coach." Stiles gave me a look as we both bent down to pick up the chain to shove in his back pack. I suddenly felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up and the scent of another werewolf in the locker room. I looked up and started looking around the room.

"You okay? Scott?" I looked at Stiles and he looked concerned.

"There's another in here right now." I said in a whisper trying not to be heard by the werewolf lurking.

"Another what?" Stiles asked confused.

"Another werewolf." The moment I said it, Stiles started to look around frantically.

"McCall, Stilinski! Enough with the S&M! Get your damn uniforms on and let's go." Coach yelled making Stiles and I jump to our feet. We changed quickly while I kept looking around at the guys trying to pinpoint who it might be.

"Are you sure? I mean how does one know?" Stiles asked as we walked onto the field.

"It was like a scent but I couldn't tell who it was coming from." I explained.

"What if you can get him one on one, would that help?" Stiles asked.

"Yeah." I said still searching the field. Stiles ran off towards Danny and gathered his gear before running back.

"You're playing goal today." Stiles said throwing the gear at me.

"I hate playing goal." I groaned.

"The idea was to get them one on one Scotty. Work with me here." Stiles and I got on the field and I got in the goal ready to sniff out the other wolf. Two defenders stood in front of me as the whistle blew and the first guy came towards the goal. I ran out and tackled him, smelling him and realizing he wasn't it.

"McCall! Usually the goalie stays in the goal. Let's try it again." Coach blew the whistle again and Matt cautiously started towards me before I booked at him. I managed to send him flying up and over my shoulder.

"What the hell man!?" He complained as I helped him up.

"Sorry man." I ran back to the goal as Coach shook his head.

"McCall! It's called goal keeper, not goal abandoner." He blew the whistle once more and I continued to take down people and actually felt bad after Danny caught me smelling him. Jackson was smart enough to sit down on the bench knowing something was up.

"MCCALL! You come out of that goal one more time and you'll be doing suicide runs until you die. It'll be the first ever suicide run that actually ends in a suicide. Got it?" Coach warned me one final time as I stood in the goal. Finally the scent grew stronger and I looked at who stood in front of Stiles.

"Isaac?" I questioned as he kept breathing heavily. He came running at me and I charged. When we collided, I knew he was the wolf. We both landed the same way facing one another and his eyes turned golden like I knew mine had. We both snapped out of it when Coach blew his whistle. Isaac glanced over my shoulder as I heard a radio and I turned back to see Sheriff Stilinski making his way onto the field.

"Don't tell Maggie, please." He begged me. I could tell he was scared as the Sheriff talked to Coach.

"Isaac, we need to have a talk." Sheriff said. Coach put the practice on a time out as they talked to Isaac and I listened in.

"It's Isaac." I told Stiles.

"Yeah I gathered that when he started chuffing in line. What are they saying?" Stiles asked me.

"His father's dead. They think he was murdered." I said shocked.

"Holy crap! Maggie was right. When she started freaking out last night she kept saying someone was going to get killed but she thought it was Isaac, not his dad." Stiles said as they started to walk away with him.

"Wait do they think he's a suspect?" Stiles asked.

"I'm not sure, why?" I looked over at him.

"Because they can lock him in a holding cell for 24 hours and just in case you've forgotten, the full moon is tonight." Stiles reminded me.

"How good are the holding cells?" I asked as Coach told us practice was over.

"At holding people? Good but holding werewolves? Probably not that good." Stiles explained as we shuffled into the locker room. There was only one person that could have turned Isaac and he just so happened to make mention of starting a pack. I had a million questions as Stiles babbled about something on the way to class. Isaac asked me not to tell Maggie but did Maggie know that Derek planned on making a pack out of her friends? Would she be okay with it or would she be pissed? How could we stop Isaac from killing anybody tonight? I sat down next to Stiles and rested my head on my hand.

"But why Isaac? I mean does he come off as someone who would be a good werewolf? The last I heard he was like flunking French or something." Stiles asked making me sigh.

"Derek probably picked him because Maggie likes him." Stiles head whipped towards me.

"Did she tell you that? I mean like recently? D-did she mention liking him in more than a friendly way?" I could tell Stiles was nervous by his heartbeat.

"No but it's pretty obvious. I know they've kissed and stuff and-" Stiles cut me off.

"And stuff? What an stuff? I didn't know they did stuff? What kind of stuff?" He tried to stay at a whisper as he freaked.

"Dude chill out. I just meant that they sort of have a thing. Maggie's going to be pissed either way. The last thing she would want is for him to be a werewolf." I put my hand on his shoulder and he took a deep breath.

"Well what about me? I mean I could handle it." I shook my head at him as he puffed his chest out.

"Derek can't stand you. He wouldn't pick you and even if he did, I'd kill him." I said trying to ease the tension but it only earned me a glare.

"You really know how to make a guy feel special, you know that?" I rolled my eyes at him as I looked down at my paper.

"He told me not to tell Maggie." I said making Stiles laugh.

"Yeah because our loyalties are with him. If she wasn't going through hell already I would have texted her." Stiles tapped his pen on the table. I checked my phone and saw that I had a text from my mom.

"Apparently my mom is with her now so let's not make it worse. We should figure out how to get Isaac out so he doesn't kill anyone. I mean he's a teenager so they can't hold him can they?" I asked curiously.

"They could if they had evidence or a witness…wait a minute." Stiles turned around.

"Danny, where's Jackson?" Stiles asked.

"He's in the principal's office talking to your dad." Danny said simply.

"What?! Why?!" Stiles asked frantically.

"Maybe because he lives next door to Isaac." Danny looked over at me before going back to his work.

"We've got to get to the principal's office." Stiles said and before I could say anything he pegged Harris with a wad of paper. It didn't take us long before we were sitting outside the office waiting for the Sheriff and Jackson to finish talking.

_"Wait, are you telling me you knew Isaac's father was hitting him?" Sheriff asked seeming shocked._

_"Hitting him? He was kicking the crap out of him." Jackson said smugly._

_"Did you ever say anything to anyone? A parent or maybe a teacher?" Sheriff asked._

_"Nope, it's not my problem." Jackson's words must have stunned the Sheriff because his heart rate started to speed up._

_"No of course not. You know it's funny how the kids that are always getting beaten up are the ones who least deserve it." Sheriff seethed._

_"Yeah…wait what?" Jackson didn't pick up on the blow._

_"I think we're done here." Sheriff let Jackson stand up._

_"If you really want to know what's up with him you should ask the other Beacon Hills orphan. Aren't you harboring Maggie? She's the only one who ever bothers with that kid anyway. She probably knew." Jackson's words made me tense but the door opened quickly and the Sheriff practically shoved him out._ Stiles tried to hide his face as the Sheriff came out of the office. He looked at me and let out a sigh.

"Hi Scott." He said clearly annoyed.

"Hi Sheriff." I said waving.

"I hope you aren't late for the funeral. Maggie is going to need you and Stiles." He said glancing at Stiles as he continued to hide.

"Of course, we'll be there." I assured him. He gave me a nod before walking away. Stiles pulled the magazine away and looked at me.

"Really? That was smooth." I said and Stiles made a face at me.

"Hello boys." We both looked up to see Gerard Argent standing there. He gestured for us to come in his office and Stiles looked at me.

"Be cool." We took a seat in front of his desk and saw that his name plate was now next to the principal sign.

"Scott McCall, academically not the most accomplished but I see you've become quite the star athlete." He looked up from my file at me and I nodded.

"Mr. Stilinski, perfect grades but little to no extracurricular. Maybe you should try lacrosse." He said looking at Stiles.

"Actually I-" He cut Stiles off.

"Hold on, McCall. You were the Scott that dated my granddaughter." He pointed at me and I felt my heart rate start to pick up.

"We were but not anymore. We're not seeing each other, ever or doing anything with each other." I said quickly.

"And you're the Steven's girl lives with you correct?" He looked back at Stiles.

"Y-yeah. Maggie." Stiles stuttered.

"Well that's a shame." He dismissed it and Stiles glanced over at me.

"Look guys, I know I'm the new principal but I don't want you both to look at me like the enemy." Gerard said making Stiles chuckle.

"Is that so?" He grumbled eying me.

"Considering this is my first day I do need to support my teachers so someone is going to have to stay behind for the detention." He said staring at Stiles. I looked over at Stiles too and he looked up at both of us.

"What?! But I- can I do it another day? I've got someplace to be." Stiles started to scramble and Gerard chuckled.

"I'm afraid no place is more important than detention for you today Mr. Stilinski. You do the crime, you do the time." He said making Stiles fume. I could tell he wanted to talk his way out of the detention but he didn't want to use Maggie's mourning as an excuse or let Gerard know that she was hurting. This day was quickly going downhill and it wasn't even halfway over.

**[Maggie's POV]**

I stood at the empty cemetery with Sheriff Stilinski and Melissa McCall standing a few feet away as I looked down at the casket. The burial was right after school and Coach Finstock had given Stiles and Scott a pass for missing practice but I stood alone staring at Karen's grave. I knew that they were putting it off because they thought I would need the boys and honestly I did. I felt like I was falling apart but I didn't want them to see it. I had to be strong, that's what Karen wanted. I wiped my tears away and took a deep breath. Stiles had promised he would be here and he wasn't.

"I guess Caroline was right. I don't need to be worrying about boys right now." I laughed sadly at the irony of the situation.

"I know you guys think I can do this but I hate being alone. It's embarrassing to say that out loud and I know you'd be disappointed because I was raised better than that but it's true. The thought of having to do this alone is terrifying." I felt a weight in my heart as I spoke. It was the first time since the hospital that I felt like Stiles and Scott didn't really have my back in all of this. I'm sure they'd have some really good excuse for why they weren't here but I was tired of excuses. I had to deal with being alone or else I would never make it in this world.

"I'm going to try my best to figure all of this out. I will make you proud, all of you. I promise." I said letting out a raggedy breath. I heard footsteps walking towards me and I didn't bother looking.

"Maggie they can wait a little bit longer if-" Before the Sheriff could explain away anything I wiped my face one last time and kissed my hand to place on the casket.

"I'm ready to go." I said walking past him. He didn't follow right away but I could hear the casket being lowered as I walked back to Melissa's car. The ride back to the house was silent. I was fighting my sadness and trying to remember what Karen, Evie, Caroline and Mom said when I was out. I'm a Stevens, I needed to start acting like one.

As soon as we got to the house, I changed out of the black dress and put on the white one. I cleaned myself up, trying not to look like a mess when people stopped by. I smoothed out my dress looking in the mirror at myself. I had pinned my hair back and tried to put a little make up on my face but it didn't hide how exhausted I was. The Sheriff got a call and had to run out but I didn't hold it against him. He seemed really beaten up about it since the boys didn't make the funeral but I couldn't reassure anyone that I'd be okay today. I felt bad enough that Ms. McCall took off the whole day to help straighten the Stilinski house for the memorial. I told them we could have had it at the old house but they didn't think it was a good idea. Melissa walked up the steps and had the cordless phone in her hands.

"John said that he had to take someone in but he wouldn't be too long. How are you holding up?" She asked as she leaned on the door frame in her black dress, her curls especially curly today.

"I just wish this day was over already." I turned around and sat on the bed.

"Well if it's any consolation, you look beautiful. That's a very white dress. I don't think I've ever seen someone wear white to a memorial." Melissa said sitting down next to me.

"It's about purity. Black is mourning but white is a bright beginning. My mom would say it's a sign of peace and comfort to those around you." I said with a hint of a smile but Melissa frowned.

"You shouldn't have to worry about those around you. It's okay to mourn sweetheart." She put her hand on my back and I shook my head.

"Karen lost Louis and the baby. If she would have made it, she would have felt that loss and I would never be so selfish to keep someone who was merely waiting to join those she lost." I explained.

"You know, you are the most courageous, selfless woman I have ever met. Your strength is inspiring." Melissa's words made me look at her and she put her arms around me. I hugged her back and let the tension fall out of my arms.

"We should get downstairs. We don't want randoms to wander in." She said taking a deep breath. I followed her down the steps and there was someone standing just inside the door holding a tray.

"Sorry we were- Allison?" Ms. McCall was just as surprised as I was. I hadn't expected Allison to come pay her respects but here she was, standing in the foyer of the Stilinski home with a tinfoil covered tray.

"Hi, I just...I brought a dish. I figured there would be enough flowers. I made them myself." Allison sputtered out and Melissa looked back at me. I gave her a nod and she took the tray into the kitchen leaving Allison and I standing there alone.

"What are you doing here?" I asked curiously as she tucked her hair behind her ear.

"I'm not trying to be disrespectful or anything, I swear. I just...I don't know. I wanted you to know that even though you hate me, I'd still like to be your friend." Allison said making me shake my head.

"I don't hate you Allison but you understand why I can't trust you right? I mean that night in the woods, you weren't my friend. You were my enemy. You tried to kill two people I care about and you almost succeeded." I said making her bite her lip.

"Are you sure you don't hate me because it kind of sounds like you do." Allison looked down at the floor.

"I just can't trust you." I said simply and she looked up disappointed.

"Well I hope someday that can change. I am truly sorry for your loss." Allison said looking sincere. Before I could say anything else to her, some of Karen's co-workers came in. Allison walked out of the house as the women approached me handing me another tray and rubbing my arm. I received a box of books that were apparently Karen's favorites, which I appreciated and about 5 pounds of flowers. More and more people started filtering in and I was unsure of most of them but Melissa handled them perfectly. I kept checking my watch and wondering where Stiles and Scott were but then I felt guilty about thinking of them when I should be thinking about Karen. I glanced at the door as Boyd walked in carrying flowers.

"Hey, thank you for coming." I said looking at the flowers.

"I heard what happened with you and since I couldn't come see you then I figured I would come see you now. I hope you don't mind I brought my family." He gestured next to himself to two younger kids and an older woman, who must be his grandmother.

"This is my little sister Zoey, my little brother Brandon and my grandma Rosie." He introduced them.

"It's nice to meet all of you, I wish it was under better circumstances." I said but Boyd's grandma reached up and held my face in her hands to kiss my forehead.

"It's a shame about your family dear but they certainly raised a girl to be proud of. It's nice to know Vernon has a friend so dedicated to his education. He was struggling with history for so long. You're truly a blessing." She smiled at me and I looked over at Boyd.

"Boyd was actually one of the first friends I made when I came to town so I should really be thanking you for raising such a wonderful young man." I said honestly making Boyd shift on his feet.

"My mom would have come to but she had to work. She sent the flowers though." Boyd handed them to me.

"I picked them out." Zoey spoke up.

"They're beautiful. Thank you." I smiled at her. I sat and talked with Boyd's family for quite some time. I learned that Boyd's father was a military man but was killed in combat when he was a kid, which explained his love for ROTC. I learned that his brother Brandon played hockey and Boyd would keep the rink open late for him to practice. I learned that Zoey loved to sing and she was actually really good at it. I also learned that Boyd's mom worked 2 jobs and that's why his grandma takes care of them but she was quick to tell me how she still goes out to cut a rug. Just before they were about to leave, I spotted Erica walking in with her mom Helen. Erica pulled me into a hug and I looked up at Boyd who stood timidly even for his size.

"I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to visit you. I've been having a tough time with my seizures." Erica said holding onto me tightly.

"It's okay. Have you met my friend Boyd?" Erica released me and gave Boyd a curious look but quickly shyed away.

"Hi." She said trying to hide her face with her frizzy hair.

"Hi." He said as his Grandma said her goodbyes to Melissa.

"Thank you for coming." I turned to her and she eyed Boyd and Erica standing next to each other and she smiled.

"You let Boyd know if you need anything. We always love company. You could even bring your friend." Erica and Boyd looked at us and I smiled.

"Maybe." I hugged all of them and watched Boyd out as Erica's mother put her hand on my back.

"How are you doing sweetie? Melissa said you were touch and go in the hospital so we couldn't stop by but we sent flowers." She kissed my cheek and I nodded.

"Stiles took care of them, they were beautiful. I just hope you're okay." I said looking over at Erica who blushed. After her episode in class she had told me they changed her meds but they were making her break out more than usual. We also bonded over our stupid crush on Stiles which I knew she was thinking of just at the mention of his name.

"I'm fine." She tucked her hair behind her ears.

"We can't stay long, I've got to get to work and I need to drop Erica off with her tutor but you'll call if you need anything won't you?" Helen said.

"Of course, thank you for coming. I really appreciate it." I said as they hugged me again before rushing off. When Erica had her seizure in class and her mom found out that I got in trouble for breaking that idiot's phone, she actually invited me to the house and talked with me about how sweet I was for standing up for Erica. Apparently she didn't have many friends and her father was kind of a deadbeat so it was nice to see that someone was protective over her. I think it actually brought Erica and me closer. We were both sort of raised by our mom's and both our dads were clearly deadbeats. I just wish there was a way I could take all the wonderful people I've met since coming back and bringing them together. Boyd, Erica, Isaac and Danny were four people that had truly touched my heart without even knowing or caring what I was.

I spent the next two hours greeting people and taking food and flowers into the kitchen and living room. Most of them I didn't know or even care to talk to. I eyed the door every time I heard someone opening it and was disappointed every time. I even looked at my phone a few times with no messages from anyone. I suddenly felt this wave of shame wash over me as I realized my mind was anywhere but with Karen. I hated that I was more worried about where the boys were than grieving Karen's death. I walked up the steps and sat on the floor near the steps letting Melissa greet everyone. I told her I needed a minute and she seemed to understand. I heard the steps creaking after only being up there an hour and looked up to see Sheriff Stilinski had returned. He looked down at me sad and red in the face. He must have talked to Melissa and found out that the boys hadn't shown up.

"I guess apologizing for Stiles would seem pretty stupid at this point, huh." He said with his hands in his pockets.

"It doesn't really matter. It's over anyway." I said shrugging. The memorial had died down and I wasn't expecting anyone else.

"I could always ground him. Would that help?" He tried but I just shook my head. He went to leave me be but I stopped him.

"Can I ask you something?" I had stopped him from leaving and he turned towards me.

"D-do you think I'm impossible to love? I mean everyone that loves me ends up dying horribly and those who are still around that tell me they love me seem kind of questionable. Maybe I'm the problem. Either you love me and die or you just tell me that so I don't feel alone. I'm always alone." I looked down at my hands and he walked over to kneel next to me as I wiped tears away quickly.

"I think that loving someone always comes with consequences but when you truly love someone, they make it worth it. You are an extraordinary girl, Maggie and I feel lucky to have you in my life. I know a couple of kids who feel the same way. You are worth every bit of struggle we face because we face them as a family. You will never be alone kiddo." He said making me wrap my arms around him. I hugged him tightly and he hugged me back. When I let go to wipe my face and pull myself together he put his hand on my shoulder.

"Melissa said she will send Scott over here tonight and you can stay there. I figured you wouldn't want to sleep here tonight anyway and it would give you some time away from the boys." He said making me nod. He stood up and started for the steps again.

"Hey Sheriff thank you. You are the closest thing I've ever had to an actual father so…thanks." I said honestly. He actually looked happy that I had said that. I felt like it may be a burden but he smiled proudly.

"It's my pleasure and an absolute honor." He said before walking down the steps. I walked into my room at the Stilinski house and packed a bag of clothes to take to Scott's house when I looked at my phone one more time. I had no calls from Stiles, Scott or even Derek. I tossed my phone on the dresser and looked in the mirror.

"I'm pathetic." I said out loud as I closed my eyes.

"I think its borderline ridiculous to look so beautiful with a frown." I turned around quickly to see who was talking to me and couldn't help but smile with tears in my eyes.

"Danny, what are you doing here?" I walked up to him and put my arms around his waist to hug him. He held onto me tightly and rested his hand on my head.

"What do you mean? Why wouldn't I be here? When my family found out about your accident they went bake crazy so you have about 5 pounds of food downstairs, plus a shitload of flowers. I'm sorry I'm late." He said kissing the top of my head.

"Compared to some, you're on time." I said pulling out of the hug to look at him.

"Well I don't know about McCall but I know Stiles got detention with Harris for pegging him with a paper ball so who knows when you'll see him next." Danny said sitting on the bed. I shook my head in disappointment before a rage-filled sob escaped my throat. Danny looked startled as I tossed the framed picture of Scott, Stiles and I against the wall.

"Hey, hey! Come here." Danny pulled me back to his chest and I shook my head.

"I shouldn't be worried about this shit! I buried my aunt today, I shouldn't care where they are because it wasn't important enough to them to be here for me." I cried into his chest and he wouldn't let me pull away from him.

"The people we love the most always hurt us the worst." Danny sighed as I kept my face covered.

"Some friends." I said taking a deep breath and looking at Danny as we sat on the bed next to each other.

"I think we both know the three of you are a bit more than friends." I glanced at Danny questionably.

"I don't know what you've heard but-" He laughed cutting me off.

"Not like that. You look at McCall like he's your brother, like you'd take a bullet for him but Stiles…for some odd reason you look at him like he's the only guy you ever want to look at." Danny said making me blush.

"It's okay to be disappointed in someone else for not being there for you during hard times but don't feel guilty for being scrambled. Your aunt wouldn't want you to feel that." He said wiping my face with the back side of his hand.

"How do you know that?" I asked rolling my eyes trying to pull myself together.

"Because she had a hand in raising you didn't she? You don't raise a girl as selfless and loving as you and wish that on someone. So when those two idiots do turn up, give them a hard time and tell them you're done with them slacking and if they don't step up and be there for you then I'll happily take McCall's place and we'll find you another weird kid to fall for." Danny said making my mind go to Isaac.

"Annnnnd you're already thinking of another guy. You have a terrible poker face." Danny laughed making me smile.

"There it is. A smile. Now that I know is something your aunt would want you to do." I took a deep breath and kissed Danny's cheek.

"Thank you for being here. The friends that did show up today were just what I needed. I don't know what I'd do without you." I rested my head on his shoulder.

"Well you're pretty spectacular yourself. You have terrible taste in guys but I still love you." I hit Danny's arm.

"Stiles isn't that bad." I defended.

"Fine but didn't you get asked to formal but Isaac Lahey?" Danny asked.

"Nothing's wrong with Isaac. He's sweet." I said but Danny laughed.

"Sweet enough to kill his dad." Danny snorted and my face dropped.

"What?! What are you talking about?" I asked frantically.

"They found his dad murdered today. They took Isaac in for it." Danny explained.

"Oh my God. Oh my God! I have to go." I stood up quickly and Danny did the same.

"Where?" Danny asked confused.

"I have to go see Isaac. I had a dream about something happening to him." I started to change my clothes quickly not caring that Danny was sitting there.

"He's being held overnight Maggie, I doubt they'll let you see him. Plus I'm not sure it's safe." Danny said as I started to gather some things.

"Danny, I have had the shittest day ever. I can't be here anymore. I need to get out. Please." I begged and he looked around the room.

"Fine, I'll drive but for the record I think it's a bad idea." Danny grabbed my bag off the bed and we went downstairs to see Melissa and John.

"Is it okay if I go out with Danny for a bit? I'm just-" They cut me off.

"Of course sweetheart. Keep your phone on and I'll see you at the house tonight okay?" Melissa said looking at Danny. I hoped she didn't think Danny was anything more than a friend because I didn't want to talk about my horrible love life at the moment.

"I'll make sure she gets there safely, no worries." Danny smiled. I ran over and hugged them both before walking out of the door.

"I need you to take me to Stiles house to get my car." I said making Danny frown.

"You want me to drop you off? Are you crazy? I just told the Sheriff I would take care of you." Danny argued but I shook my head.

"I'm going to be in the safest place in town. I have to get to him Danny. His dad was...his dad hurt him. I know he didn't do whatever they say he did but I do know he's probably terrified and alone." I explained and Danny hit his hands on the steering wheel.

"Ugh! I hate you for this, I hope you know that." Danny turned down the street and took me to Stiles house and made me promise to call or text him once I was safely tucked in. By the time I got to the station I was too stressed to try and actually distract the guards so I ended up using my powers. I could hear Isaac's heavy breathing as I entered the cell to see he was in the corner on the bed, shaking.

"Isaac?" I said and his head popped up quickly.

"Maggie…you have to go." He breathed heavily and I walked towards him.

"I'm not leaving you." I said firmly but he growled.

"I'm not…I can't." He looked up at me and his eyes flashed golden. I covered my mouth and felt my heart stop a bit. He looked at me ashamed of himself and I still walked over and sat down.

"Why…why would you do this to yourself?!" I asked trying not to get upset.

"I needed a way out and Derek helped me get that but it's not safe for you to be around me right now. Please just-" Isaac was trying to get rid of me but I shook my head before taking his hand.

"I'm not leaving you, do you hear me?" I said seeing that he was trying to control his wolf. I finally started to understand what Derek meant this morning and knowing him it was only going to get worse.

**[Scott's POV]**

I ran out of school to try and catch Isaac before they took him away but Derek pulled up asking for help. Apparently whatever Jackson had said was enough reason for the cops to search the house and there was something that needed to be covered up before they got there. I looked at my phone and considered calling Maggie but I knew that time was precious. I could feel the moon approaching and if I could somehow save Isaac from any further crap then maybe Maggie would understand.

"If Isaac didn't kill his father then who did?" I asked curiously as we walked through the house.

"I don't know yet." Derek said from behind me.

"Then how do you know he's telling the truth?" I pressed.

"Because I trust my senses and it's a combination of them, not just your sense of smell." I stopped walking when Derek said that.

"You...saw the lacrosse thing today." I said not even looking at him.

"Yeah." He said sounding smug.

"Did it look that bad?" I glanced at him and he gripped my shoulder.

"Yeah." He rubbed it in and I shook his hand off my shoulder.

"Well I hope your senses told you that Maggie is going to be pissed. This is the last thing she would want." I said as we continued into Isaac's house in the dark.

"Maggie doesn't realize how important she is and how much a pack will help her. She'll get over her anger and if all else fails, I'm sure you and boy wonder will do something else to piss her off." Derek stopped at a door and opened it.

"I'm glad you relie on the ups and downs of our friendship to balance out your mistakes because that's what this is. Why the hell would you pick Isaac anyway?" I asked shining the flashlight down the stairs.

"Isaac was in a bad situation. His father was a monster yet he stayed loyal to him because he was still his father at the end of the day. I saw a kid in a bad situation and decided that he deserved better." Derek said not looking at me.

"And it had nothing to do with the fact that he clearly likes Maggie?" I called him out and he huffed.

"I don't just turn people Scott, I give them a choice. Who I offer the bite to and why is my business. How about you stop questioning me and work on harnessing your own sense." Derek held his arm out gesturing for me to go in the basement. I looked at him carefully before starting down the steps slowly.

"What's down there?" I questioned.

"Motive." Derek said still standing at the top.

"And what am I looking for?" I made it to the bottom of the steps and looked around trying to focus. I immediately started getting bad vibes like something bad happened down here.

"What happened down here?" I asked assuming Derek would know.

"The kind of thing that would leave an impression." Derek said in the dark as I scanned over the old boxes, fishing gear and something shiny. Broken glass caught my eye and I walked over to it seeing what looked like scratch marks on the floor. The feeling grew stronger and I looked up to see a giant freezer a few feet away. I stood up and walked over to it to see a lock on it. Not many freezers needed looks like this. I started to feel that burning feeling in my chest when the moon was full and I wasn't sure if I could fight it. I jumped when Derek appeared next to me with the flashlight.

"Open it." He said glancing at the freezer. I carefully pulled the lock off before opening the freezer to find it wasn't being used as a freezer at all. There were scratches all over the walls, the ceiling and air holes poked into the top and sides. I almost couldn't catch my breath as the sense of a violent relationship Isaac had with his father hit me like a ton of bricks.

"This is why he said yes to you?" I questioned.

"Everyone wants power." Derek said making me angry.

"You took advantage of his shitty home life, Derek! How can you think that's right?" I asked but Derek didn't say anything. I shook my head and looked down at the freezer.

"If we help you then you have to stop. You can't just go around turning Maggie's friends into werewolves." I explained.

"I can if they're willing. Isaac cares about Maggie and he wanted out of a an abusive situation." Derek argued.

"Did you tell him about being hunted by the Argent's?" I asked knowing that just seeing what they did to that Omega in the woods would be enough for me to back down.

"Yes and he still asked." Derek replied.

"Then he's an idiot!" I shouted.

"And you're the idiot dating an Argent. Unlike you, he actually wants to protect Maggie." I stared at Derek surprised.

"Yeah, I know your little secret and if I know, how long do you think it's going to take them to figure it out? You saw what happens to an Omega. If you're with me, I can teach you how to use all of your sense, I can teach you control even on a full moon." Derek said grabbing my hand and holding it up as my claws started to emerge. I felt the changes coming on but I tried to focus on fighting them.

"If I'm with you, I lose her." I said simply. Derek let out a sigh.

"You're going to lose her anyway and you know that. The only difference is you'll be losing Maggie too." Derek headed towards the stairs.

"Wait! I'm not part of your pack but that doesn't mean I don't care about Maggie. I'm responsible for him and I want him out." I said firmly.

"Why because he's one of us?" Derek challenged.

"No because he's just like Maggie and I...innocent." I said as my phone started to ring. Derek rolled his eyes at me as I answered it.

"Scott! Where have you been?! Shit has hit the fan." It was Stiles.

"What's going on?" I asked feeling the sweat coming on as I tried to focus on my human side.

"Allison said her dad is sending someone to the station to take care of Isaac." I looked up at Derek knowing he could hear Stiles through the phone.

"She tried to slow the guy down so I could get there and figure something out but-" Derek snatched the phone.

"Come to Isaac's house. You can't handle him on your own." Derek said forcefully.

"Really? You're hanging out with Derek right now?" Stiles said making me roll my eyes.

"He's right. Pick up Derek. I can't help right now. I'm not...you were right about the moon. I'm not as in control as I thought I'd be." I looked at Derek begrudgingly and Stiles sighed.

"What are you going to do?" Stiles asked curiously.

"I have an idea, just leave the chains." I hung up the phone and Derek climbed the stairs to wait for Stiles. I heard the gears on the jeep as it pulled up and I sensed Allison almost immediately. She crept into the house as the jeep pulled away from Isaac's.

"Scott?" She came down the stairs with the chains and dropped them in front of me.

"Are you sure we have to do this?" She asked me and I looked up at her showing her the change was taking a hold of me rapidly.

"Yes." I said as I walked over to the freezer and stepped inside. The bad vibes were taking over as I sat down and started to feel anxiety.

"Close it please. I don't want to hurt you." I begged feeling Allison stare at me sadly. She leaned down and kissed me before kissing my forehead. I felt some of the tension leave my body as she shut the lid. I wasn't sure if it was because I was now trapped in this freezer of horrible, painful memories or the fact that Isaac was now another innocent teen with this horrible curse but something felt off. Maggie lingered in the back of my mind as I tried to focus on controlling myself but it was hard to do with a thousand other things on my mind. I didn't know how to control my wolf but if Derek helped me then I'd be in his pack. I was pulled from my thoughts when I heard Allison scream.

"ALLISON!" I started banging the sides of the freezer until it gave way and hurried up the stairs to find her in the kitchen holding a knife. I jumped in front of her to come face to face with some sort of giant reptile. I watched the thing hiss and climb up the wall before jumping out of the window.

"What the hell was that?" Allison breathed and I just kept staring at what I knew was going to be the next hurdle we'd have to face.

"I have no idea." I said honestly.

**[Stiles POV]**

There were few things I hated more than having to work with Derek. Maggie always tried to convince me he wasn't that bad but I knew better. He's one of those guys that totally screws things up and then pretends that he meant it to all end up in sucksville. I pulled up to the station and saw the Pamela, the night officer on duty.

"Okay the keys to every cell are in a password protected lock box in my father's office. The problem is getting past the front desk." I said watching as she got coffee.

"I'll distract her." Derek went to get out of the jeep and I grabbed him quickly.

"Whoa whoa! You? You're not going in there." I said as he looked at me with wide eyes and then to my hand that gripped his jacket.

"I'm taking my hand off." I retracted my hand and he let out a breath.

"I was exonerated." He said as if it matter.

"You're still a person of interest." I sighed.

"An innocent person." He followed quickly.

"An in-YOU?! Yeah right! Says the guy who just turned a 16 year old into a creature of the night while all hell has broken loose in the werewolf community. You're the poster guy for innocence Derek." I said making him scowl.

"Fine what's your plan?" I asked throwing my hands up.

"To distract her." HE said like I was an idiot.

"Yeah? How? By punching her in the face?" I said pushing him. I wasn't going to send Derek "I make everything worse" Hale into my dad's station to create havoc.

"Ha...by talking to her." Derek said shaking his head.

"Okay, give me a sample. What are you going to open with?" I asked and he rolled his eyes just staring at me.

"Dead silence. That should work beautifully. Any other great ideas?" I said earning an annoyed growl.

"I'm thinking about punching you in the face." Derek threatened and I knew he was completely serious.

"I don't have time to teach you how to woo women Stiles." Derek said losing patience with me. I shook my head and looked out of the window. Add rude as hell to the list of reasons why I hate Derek because screw you dude! Who says I need help wooing women!? I thought I was doing pretty well until he had to go and help out the competition like the overbearing, control freak he is.

"I can literally smell you thinking too hard." Derek pulled me out of my thoughts.

"I just want to know why you picked Isaac for Maggie." I said looking back at him.

"You think now is the appropriate time to talk about my beta selection?" Derek gestured to the station and I shrugged.

"Just give me one good reason why it couldn't be me." I said earning a snort.

"I can give you about a thousand reasons come to think of it." Derek was quick with the snark but when I just glared at him, he finally caved.

"Fine, there's the obvious reason that she's been in love with you for pretty much her whole life." Derek said and I realized Maggie and I hadn't talked about us since the dance.

"I feel like you're only proving my point here." I said letting go of the steering wheel.

"She's been in love with you her whole life and it took her dying for you to remotely feel an ounce of what she feels for you. She chases a simple human boy who couldn't handle her on her most human of days and now that she's become something of great power, you think you could handle her? You cant. If anything, you make her weak. Putting you together would only kill you both quicker." I felt my heart jump to my throat as Derek basically shut me down...hard.

"…that's…wow." I cleared my throat and tried to talk but I couldn't.

"You wanted the truth and now you have it." Derek watched me carefully as I moved to get out of the jeep.

"Maybe you're right. You know who said the same thing to me?" I gritted my teeth as I looked around the building make sure the coast was clear.

"Peter." I made sure to look at Derek when I said it so he would know I was really saying SCREW YOU ASSHOLE! HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE PUT DOWN! Derek walked into the station and Pamela folded like a napkin to Derek's charms.

"You could do better Pamela." I whispered knowing Derek could hear me as I tried to stealthily get to my dad's office. I ran to the box and punched in the code only to find it was empty. Someone already had the key if it was gone so I rounded the corner to head towards the cells but I almost ran straight into someone.

"Hey I was looking for..." I noticed a trail of blood on the floor and realized I didn't recognize the guy which was odd since I knew everybody that worked with my dad. The guy apparently realized it too because when I tried to run away he put me in a head lock, dragging me back towards the cells. I fought him as much as I could before pulling the fire alarm. He dropped me to the floor when we got to the holding cell and saw the door was ripped open and Maggie was sitting there.

"Maggie?" I said catching her attention. The guys eyes went wide as he looked at Maggie. He held up the syringe and started towards her. I reached for him and he kicked me off of his leg.

"MAGGIE RUN!" I yelled but she didn't move.

"ISAAC NOW!" I looked to the left and was shocked to see Isaac wolfed practically tackling the guy onto the table. I scrambled to get out of the way and I managed to get closer to Maggie as she ran out of the cell. I grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the way as I slid us both behind the desk. Isaac threw the guy into the wall and he tried to swing on him but Issac gripped his arm. You could hear the bones crunch in the guys arm and Maggie pushed away from me to get to her feet.

"Maggie what are you doing?!" I said as Isaac knocked the guy out and turned to look at me. His attention snapped to Derek as he stomped the syringe of blood liquid out.

"Took your sweet time didn't you?" Maggie spoke up looking at Derek.

"You shouldn't be here." He said through tight lips.

"HE shouldn't be wolfed out right now!" Maggie raised her voice as Isaac looked between them looking completely lost.

"I told you she would be pissed." I spoke up from the floor and Isaac turned towards me.

"Isaac, what are you doing?" Maggie tried to pull Isaac out of wolf mode but he snarled at me making my heartbeat speed up.

"Stay back Maggie. Let me handle it." Derek put his hand up at Maggie but when Isaac made a b-line for me. I started to scrambled but Maggie jumped in front of me.

"ISAAC DON'T!" She yelled but it was Derek's growl that stopped him. Isaac's eyes went wide once the red flashed in front of Derek's, sending him cowaring in the corner.

"How'd you do that?" I asked confused and slightly terrified.

"I'm the Alpha." Derek said as Maggie shook her head.

"Are you okay?" I asked slowly standing up and reaching out to her but she jerked her arm away.

"I'm fine." She ran towards Isaac and started stroking his hair to soothe him. He had shifted out of his beta form and was back to a sweaty mess.

"You couldn't have done that without scaring him into submission?" Maggie snapped at Derek surprising me.

"Next time I'll just let him tear Stiles to pieces, if you preferred." Derek gestured to me before rolling his eyes.

"I'm fine too...if anyone cares." The three of them looked over at me as I dusted off my clothes.

"We've got to get him out of here before anyone shows up." Derek said as Maggie helped Isaac off the floor.

"There's a back door, I can drive-" I started to say but Maggie cut me off.

"No. I'll take him. I have my car." She said clearly pissed at me.

"Maggie-" I started again but she snapped.

"Save it! I don't have time to argue with you, let alone hear more of your excuses. I'm taking him." All I could see was the pain in her eyes as she threw Isaac's arm around her shoulder and started for the door. Derek looked at me and I felt almost embarrassed as he took off behind her. I stood in the room alone as the fire alarm continued to go off and the guy was still passed out on the floor. I was left with this huge mess to answer for but all I was thinking about was talking to Maggie.

**[Maggie's POV]**

I listened to Derek talk to Isaac the entire way to this broken down train station that he apparently had taken residency in. He was telling him how to control his wolf and occasionally glanced over at me looking intrigued. Once we got inside and Isaac sat down I turned to Derek and shoved him hard enough to knock him back two steps.

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!?" I screamed as Derek's eyes went wide and Isaac jumped.

"Maggie-" I cut Derek off shoving him again.

"THIS was your idea of me not worrying!? You ruined someone else's life with this stupid crap!" I could feel how hard my heart was beating.

"I'm trying to build us a pack so we can be whole again." Derek explained.

"He's a 16 year old fugitive now Derek! This is supposed to be his home now?" I threw my arms out looking around.

"Don't stand there and tell me you're doing this for us because either you don't know me at all or you're lying to yourself." I accused.

"WE NEED A PACK TO SURVIVE! I CAN'T PROTECT YOU ON MY OWN!" Derek shouted at me.

"I NEVER ASKED FOR YOU TO PROTECT ME!" I yelled back. I covered my face with my hands and turned away from Derek.

"You're naive if you think that you can do this on your own. There will be people coming after you, different alphas eventually too. We need a pack." Derek pressed and I shook my head.

"It's bad enough that you wrecked Isaac's life...whoever you're thinking about biting next, don't do it." I said looking at Isaac.

"Maggie, he gave me a choice." Isaac stood up but I put my hand up backing away from him.

"I mean it Derek. Whatever big bad thing that comes out of the woodwork, we will figure out how to handle it but I can't be responsible for anyone else's life being ruined by this curse." I said walking towards the steps.

"I'm the alpha now. Who I decide to give the bite to is my own decision and it's final." Derek said making me stop and turn around.

"You may be the alpha and you may be the only family I've got left but you're not my alpha and you sure as hell aren't going to run around biting teens." I said firmly.

"Oh yeah? Why is that?" Derek asked crossing his arms over his chest.

"BECAUSE YOU AREN'T PETER!" I yelled making his face drop slightly.

"By the way, the funeral and memorial was nice. I was a complete mess but don't worry about it. You just keep thinking about our well-being." I took one final jab before I walked up the stairs. I heard Isaac call after me but I didn't stop. I had to get away from Derek. I couldn't look at Isaac right now because it only reminded me of how awful things would be for him from now on. It was my fault that Derek picked him. If I hadn't been in Isaac's life then he would never have picked him. I might as well have done it myself. I drove to Scott's house and noticed the jeep. I let out a sigh before using the key I had only to find them both jumping up from the couch in the living room.

"Before either of you say anything, I just want you to know that I'm not mad. I was mad but I'm not anymore." I said seeing relief on their faces.

"I'm so disappointed in the both of you it really leaves no room for anger at this point." Their faces fell then.

"Maggie, we are so sorry that we didn't make it to the funeral. Harris gave me detention and then the whole Isaac thing-" I cut Stiles off.

"So the whole werewolf thing was so important that the one time I need you, the only time that I've ever asked for you to put me first selfishly enough and you couldn't do it." I said seeing Stiles face fall.

"I have a responsibility now-" I threw my bag on the floor and let the anger come back.

"YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO ME TOO! YOU'RE MY BEST FRIENDS! YOU TWO IDIOTS WANTED ME BACK SO BAD, WELL HERE I AM DAMNIT!" I threw my arms out and they both stepped back.

"It's like you only care about me when I'm about to leave town or dying. I can't have that in my life right now. I need permanent fixtures so either you're here for me or you can just back out now but I can't...I can't take anymore of this." I explained as tears welled up in my eyes.

"Please don't cry." Stiles stepped closer putting his hand on my arm but I pulled it away.

"Don't! I spent the entire day wondering where you both were instead of mourning over Karen and the baby and Louis and everyone else who I've lost! I was more worried as to why my life was so important when I wasn't here but not now. Don't you dare try and comfort me now that it's all said and done." I warned making him put his hands up.

"Maggie, your eyes." Scott pointed. I closed them tightly before taking a deep breath.

"How can we make this right?" Stiles asked breaking through my concentration.

"You can leave. I buried my aunt today, my best friends let me down in a big way and I have an alpha who thinks ruining other people's lives is needed in order to protect me. All I want is to go upstairs, put on pajamas and try to go to sleep. From the moment I woke up this morning all I've wanted was for this day to be over." I said honestly and they looked at each other.

"I guess we'll get out of your hair then." Stiles rubbed the back of his neck and I could tell his internal struggle had started.

"Would it helped if we said sorry?" Scott asked as they stood in the door.

"I don't need your pity or your sympathy, I need-" Stiles cut me off.

"Love and support...but right now you need sleep." He said sadly. I gave him a nod and Scott bit his lip.

"What about the-" He whispered to Stiles but he shook his head.

"Lock the door and get some sleep. We'll see you tomorrow." Stiles looked up at me and I nodded at him. Scott followed him out like a sad puppy dog as I shut and locked the door. I grabbed my bag and headed up the steps to the spare room I stayed in when I stayed with the McCall's. I sat down on the bed and let out a staggering breath which brought on more tears. I started to sob, truly sob for the first time all day. I had cried and gotten upset but this felt different. It felt desperate and needy and I hated it but I needed a release.

_"What's she doing now?"_ I could hear Stiles voice.

_"Crying...like really crying."_ Scott said sounding scared.

_"Damnit...we...we completely screwed this up."_ Stiles sounded beaten.

_"Should we go in or just hang out here?"_ Scott asked and before I could say something he spoke.

_"No we should do what she asked us to do. Leave her alone and try to do better tomorrow. We blow this entire day."_ Stiles started the jeep and I listened as it drove away. I guess breaking down like I had let my wolf abilities surface a bit. I quickly pulled myself together, changed my clothes and laid down in the bed. I tried to clear my head and let go of all that had happened today. I was completely exhausted. Melissa came in around 1 AM but I pretended I was asleep. The last thing I wanted to do was talk about how I was feeling at the moment. I had my back to the window but I caught Isaac's scent even before he opened it and quietly stumbled in.

"You are one stealthy creeper." I mumbled making him freeze. He quietly walked around to the other side of the bed and I didn't bother looking at him.

"Did Derek send you?" I asked curiously.

"No...I came on my own. I wanted to talk to you." Isaac said fumbling with his hands. When I didn't respond he stepped closer to the bed.

"I know you're mad at me and probably hate me but I don't want you to blame Derek for this. He offered me a way out and I took it." Isaac explained making me let out a heavy sigh.

"Whose to say this life is any better than what you were dealing with?" I said looking up at him from the bed and he shook his head.

"I don't know but something had to change. I'm not good at anything, not like my brother was. I'm weak and I couldn't take it anymore." He started to go into detail but stopped himself.

"I'm sorry that your dad was horrible to you but Isaac…none of this will be easy or painless. It's not a gift. It's a curse. You willingly cursed yourself and it breaks my heart." I said honestly without anymore tears left to cry. There was a moment of silence before he shifted on his feet.

"Then maybe…we can be cursed together because I don't really have anyone else." He dared to meet my eyes but I closed mine to let out another heavy breath. I let the silence take over again and Isaac took that as a sign of defeat.

"I'll just go so you can rest. I know today was a long day for you." He started for the window again.

"Stay." I said making him stop.

"Are you sure that's a good idea? Ms. McCall is in the next room." Isaac's heartbeat sped up a bit and I merely patted the place next to me on the bed. He kicked his shoes off and laid down next to me. I could feel the tension in his body as he tried to be as still as possible. He turned onto his side and I reached out to take his hands into mine.

"You were wrong about what you said. I don't hate you and you're not weak. You put up with your dad for much longer than you should have. You're a survivor." I said making him shrug.

"I'm still not really good at anything." Isaac said as I shifted to rest my head on his arm.

"We'll work on it." I said closing my eyes and taking in his scent. He smelled like rain and wet dirt. It reminded me of the funeral today and I turned my head up to look at his face.

"I'm going to need you to be careful, now more than ever. I don't think I'd be able to handle it if something happened to you." I said honestly.

"Honestly, I didn't know you cared so much." He chuckled and I put my hand on his face making him freeze. My mind went back to the nightmare I had this morning and I leaned up to capture his lips. It wasn't a long kiss but the brief moment that our lips stayed pressed together, I felt tension leave both our bodies before I pulled away. I wasn't trying to come on to him or anything, I just wanted him to know that he had someone who cared about what happens to him because I just felt like maybe he hasn't felt that in a long time.

"Well now you know. I care...a lot." Isaac stared down at me licking his bottom lip before I turned my head back down and rested it against his chest. He took my hand and held it for the rest of the night. He fell asleep first and I closed my eyes tightly.

"Please...please help me protect him...help me protect all of them." I said quietly so I wouldn't wake him. I just hoped that someone, somewhere was listening.


	3. No Absolution

**[Stiles POV]**

I made sure to wake Scott up early so we could pick up breakfast and flowers for Maggie before heading over to his house. I figured that if we were going to start our groveling then we might as well start it first thing. Melissa was in the kitchen sipping coffee when we walked in making her jump.

"Boys...it's 7AM. What the-" She started to say but Scott handed her the box of doughnuts.

"Stiles thought this was the best way to make things right with Maggie." Scott rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he yawned.

"I figured I would give Maggie a ride to school today." I added as she eyed the doughnuts before taking the box from Scott as he plopped down at the kitchen table.

"She just woke up so maybe go easy." She warned as I ran up the stairs with the flowers. I took a deep breath and pushed the door open to see Isaac pulling his shirt on quickly.

"Oh it's just you." He let out a sigh and I felt my face heat up.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I asked finding my voice.

"Maggie let me stay with her last night. She's in the bathroom if you're looking for her." Isaac pointed at the door. I couldn't help but stare at him. I felt this unbelievable jealously boiling in my veins just knowing that he shared a bed with Maggie, half naked.

"So you just decided to take advantage of the fact that she's grieving? That's pretty low. I didn't take you for a sleaze." I said making him stop what he was doing.

"Do you have a problem with me because Maggie was the one that asked me to stay. I didn't invite myself to stay." He stood up after putting his shoes on and I shifted on my feet.

"What? Derek run out of splintered wood for you to sleep on? Maybe he shouldn't take in strays if he can't provide for them." I knew I was being harsh and Isaac snarled slightly making my heart race. He stepped back and looked me up and down before chuckling.

"You like her." He stated making me shake my head.

"What?" I questioned.

"You have a thing for Maggie, that's why you're giving me shit." He laughed like it was a joke and I clenched my fist around the flowers.

"No I'm just protective of my best friend especially when suspected murderers spend the night with her." I said calmly.

"Even if I couldn't hear you lying, I didn't kill my dad. I don't know what killed him." Isaac grabbed his jacket and walked towards the window.

"But you practically killed that guy last night and almost came after me. You're dangerous and Maggie's-" He cut me off.

"I would never hurt her...not like you have." He said sniping back at me. The shower turned off and he glanced over my shoulder.

"I'm going to get out of here. Let her know that I'll give her a call later." Isaac opened the window before sitting on the ledge and looking at me one more time. I walked over and shut the window as soon as he disappeared through it. I saw a dress Maggie must have worn laying on a chair and my mind instantly went to about twenty different bad places.

"Hey you better get...going." Maggie walked into the room and looked surprised to see me.

"He- he just left. He said he'd call you later." I couldn't bring myself to look at her face.

"What are you doing here? I didn't expect to see you until school." Maggie walked over towards me and I remembered the flowers in my hand, feeling instantly stupid.

"Yeah I was going to give you a ride to school...get that fresh start and all but I can see you're busy. I'll just get out of your hair." I went to walk past her but she stopped me.

"So you see Isaac here and suddenly things are supposed to be awkward?" Maggie put her hand on my arm and I shook my head.

"You don't have to explain anything to me." I said quickly.

"I know I don't but I can feel your sadness and I'm assuming it's because you found Isaac in here." She said with certainty and I looked down at my feet.

"Please don't use your wolf abilities on me. It's kind of an unfair advantage." She reached out and lifted my chin to look at her.

"I didn't, feeling emotion is more of a witch thing. I'm not using my wolf abilities anymore." She shrugged catching my interest.

"What? Since when?" I asked curiously as she gathered things around the room to take with her.

"Since I asked Deaton how to block them out. I don't want that to be apart of my life. I am what I am but I'm not going to let it control me." She said moving closer.

"Stop changing the subject. I was telling you because I know how your mind likes to blow things far beyond what actually happens." She tried to explain but I still felt a bit off.

"You know I just don't want you to get hurt. If you want to date Isaac-" She cut me off letting out a loud sigh.

"I'm not looking to date anyone right now Stiles. I'm looking to go downstairs, grab something to eat and go to school. I kind of made an ass of myself with some of my teachers so I'd like to start working on fixing that. It would be nice if I didn't have to worry about you sulking." She grabbed her bag and I nodded my head.

"To be fair, you were under a lot of stress and Harris kind of needs a kick in the ass every now and then. Plus you did a lot of things because you thought you'd never have to be here after the dance." I tested making her shake her head. We hadn't talked about the kiss and I really wanted to know where we stood with it.

"You can also save those flowers to take to Karen's grave site. Don't think just because I'm not being totally mean to you right now means you're off the hook." She said pointing at the flowers in my hand not taking the bait. I stopped her before she could leave the room and she looked up at me.

"So we're okay? Fresh start?" I asked and she looked at me for a moment letting out a sigh.

"Shouldn't Scott be up here with you apologizing too?" She glanced past me and I frowned.

"Who's changing the subject now? Besides he said he has something else planned for making it up to you but this is me trying to make sure we are okay." She bit her lip before leaning back against the door frame.

"I'm not trying to need anybody and I'm sorry if it's a burden on you-" I cut her off.

"What? No, Maggie...come on. You aren't a burden. I swear. The only reason I got detention was because I know you care about Isaac and I wanted to make sure everything was okay with him. I had no idea Harris was going to keep me so long." I put my hand on her arm and she nodded her head.

"Okay but from now on I want you to be there when I need you. If I have to go through these...changes or whatever without family then I'm going to need you reminding me it's going to be okay." She said firmly.

"I'm here and I'm not going anywhere." I said with the same firmness before she randomly smacked her palm against my forehead breaking up the tense moment.

"You better not abandon me in my time of need again or so help me Stilinski, I will bring back the atomic wedgie so hard, you won't be able to sit for days. You got it?" She warned and I put my hands up.

"I got it." I said as we walked downstairs.

"I guess asking if you slept okay would be stupid." I said making her glare over her shoulder.

"Don't get punched this early." She warned as we walked into the kitchen and had breakfast with Ms. McCall and Scott who was barely conscious. Scott's head shot up as Maggie walked in.

"Maggie-" She cut him off.

"I have to get to the Guidance office before gym so whatever you have to say can wait." She shut him down before kissing Melissa's cheek.

"Thanks for everything." She said as she grabbed her bag.

"It's never a problem sweetheart. Try and have a good day and you know you can call me or John if you need anything." Melissa said as Maggie grabbed an apple off the table instead of the doughnuts. I dragged Scott to his feet as Maggie walked out of the front door.

"Did she forgive you?" Scott whispered.

"Somewhat, not completely." I whispered back.

"How come I get the shaft?" Scott whined.

"Because you listened into the room when I asked for space and before Stiles tells you, yes Isaac stayed the night last night. I'm a big girl who can make decisions so if you two are done whispering then I'd like to get that ride to school now." Maggie was leaning against the jeep and Scott looked at me wide eyed like he definitely had something on his chest but knew he didn't have the room to push it right now.

**[Scott's POV]**

Allison was a bit on edge when I saw her the next day. She wouldn't really talk about it but I knew it had something to do with her father. I never told her what I saw in the woods that night with Gerard and her dad but I figured there were just some thing's that didn't need to be said. We were both still reeling from that random lizard creature the other night but Stiles insisted we not bring Maggie into it just yet. He wanted to make things right before having to throw something else at her. He was apparently right considering how she practically ignored me all morning.

"Why would Isaac be in her room? I mean if she's upset about losing Karen and mad at me and Stiles then she wouldn't be looking to like...hook up right?" I asked as Allison and I climbed the rock wall in gym.

"Maybe she was just looking for comfort in a friend. Did you try talking to her this morning?" Allison asked.

"Yeah but she pretty much said she didn't have time. I still want to talk to her beforehand but I was thinking we could all go out tonight or something. I mean just the four of us." I smirked at her.

"You want to do a double date with Isaac and Maggie?" Allison questioned making me lose my footing slightly.

"What? No! I was thinking Stiles and Maggie, why would I want to bring Isaac? It'll be hard enough trying to get you out of the house alone, bringing a suspected murderer who is also on the loose would be too much pressure." I explained.

"I'll probably have to bring Lydia. My parent's wont just let me out alone. Do you think Maggie would mind?" She asked and I looked back seeing Maggie walking into the gym.

"Only one way to find out I guess." I shrugged and started to climb again.

"When are we going to ask her about what we saw? I mean was it a werewolf?" Allison asked climbing up.

"That thing had a tail, I don't have a tail." I said rolling my eyes.

"Maybe you just haven't grown it yet." She teased as she got higher than me.

"I'm not growing a tail...ever." I said hearing he giggle. I looked up and saw that she had stopped and was looking at me.

"Are you slowing down for me?" I asked curiously.

"I was waiting for you." She defended.

"What? Waiting for me to catch up?" I questioned.

"You looked like you were struggling." She eyed me and I caught sight of one of her finer assets.

"Maybe I was admiring the view?" I glanced at her ass and she bit her lip.

"Try admiring from afar." She took off up the wall and I scaled it quickly waiting for her to look over at me. When she did she, she glared daggers before kicking my foot and sending me plummeting towards the mat at the bottom of the wall. Everyone started laughing, even coach as I hit the mat.

"McCall, I don't know why but your pain gives me a special kind of joy." Coach laughed as I got to my feet and Allison silently apologized. I looked over and saw Maggie talking to Erica.

"Alright, next two. Stilinski and Stevens." Coach blew his whistle.

"Coach, I'm going to sit this one out today." Maggie said glancing over at me.

"Okay then you're up Erica." Erica looked up at the wall and Maggie rubbed her back.

"Coach-" Maggie started to say but Erica stopped her.

"I-I can do it. I'm fine. I swear." Lie. Erica's heartbeat went up as she walked over to the wall. I walked over and stood next to Maggie.

"Do you feel okay?" I asked as she watched Erica nervously.

"I'm fine." She said but I heard her heartbeat. She glanced over at me and rolled her eyes.

"My scar is hurting but it's manageable. I just don't want to aggravate it with climbing. Stop listening to my heartbeat." She said staring back up at the rock wall.

"Do you remember when we were kids and you would go ice skating at the rink and cry whenever you'd have to leave?" I asked and she blew a raspberry.

"I didn't cry. I just hated leaving. It rarely snows here and I always wanted to live someplace cold." She informed.

"I was hoping you'd agree to let me make up for being a crappy friend by taking you someplace special. One night of doing normal teenage stuff with no drama." I said making her look over at me.

"That's a pretty big promise that I know you can't keep." She challenged as Stiles finished the wall and started celebrating.

"Please Maggie! Just give me a chance here." I tried but she went back to watching Erica.

"Damnit." She whispered before moving closer. Erica was hyperventilating and Coach was trying to talk her through it.

"I-I'm fine." Erica called down to everyone but her heartbeat was going really fast.

"Coach, maybe it's not safe. You know she's epileptic." Allison said making me shake my head.

"Why doesn't anyone tell me this stuff? Erica, you're fine. Just kick off from the wall." Coach said but she wouldn't let go. Maggie pushed past Stiles who was still strapped to the wall but looking up.

"Stevens! What the hell are you doing?" Coach asked and I put my hand out.

"Maggie, let me." I insisted but she ignored me. Stiles stood under her and I watched Maggie climb as high as Erica was.

"Look at me Erica." Maggie whispered but I could hear her loud and clear. Erica turned her head.

"It's okay, I'm right here. Let go of the wall. I promise, you'll be okay." Maggie reached out and touched Erica and I could tell she was in pain. Erica let go of the wall and started to slowly fall to the bottom. Maggie went to climb down and winced. She let go of the wall and I caught her.

"Are you okay?" I asked as she grabbed her side.

"Y-yeah I'm good." She lied again. Stiles looked at me as Maggie chased after Erica who was clearly upset.

"What the hell was all that about?" He asked as he got out of his harness.

"Maggie, you're bleeding." Allison pointed out and Coach looked at Maggie as Erica ran off.

"Stevens, you need to take it easy! McCall, take her to the nurse." Coach insisted and Maggie shook her head at Allison who bit her lip. Stiles and I followed her out of the gym and into the hallway.

"I'm fine, I'm not going to the nurse." She said as she searched for Erica.

"Why are you bleeding?" Stiles asked touching the spot on her shirt.

"I don't know." She ignored and I grabbed her arm.

"Look, I know you're mad at us but stop lying." I said making her walk into the girls room. I looked over at Stiles and he shook his head.

"Scott, it's the girls- okay I guess we're going in." We pushed into the doors and Maggie had her shirt lifted up washing the blood off herself.

"Wow um...okay." Stiles turned around to give Maggie privacy but I looked at her face.

"What's going on? Why is your scar bleeding?" I questioned.

"If I knew that Scott, don't you think I would tell you?" She asked as she put her hand over it and started muttering.

"Maggie-" She cut me off.

"If you guys leave me alone long enough to go find Erica then I'll go on your stupid outing. Whatever you want but right now I need to go find Erica. She was actually there for me when I needed a friend and right now that's what I'm going to be." She said making Stiles turn around as she fixed her shirt. She walked past Stiles and I and I let her go. We made our way back to the locker room and started to change. I couldn't get Maggie out of my head though. Coach whistled and we all turned around.

"Listen up, anybody sees Isaac Lahey then you immediately tell the principal, get a teacher or you call me. Except you Greenburg, don't call me for anything. I'm serious! You shouldn't even have my number." Coach announced.

"He's Derek's problem now." Stiles said making me shrug.

"I don't think tonight is a good idea." I said opening my locker.

"What do you mean tonight's not a good idea? Did you see how stressed she was? She needs something to lift her spirits man." Stiles really wanted to go out but I knew it was for more than just Maggie. He had been dying to figure out if there was something between them or not. He had told me they kissed the night of the dance and he'd wanted to I guess, define things between them but there was so much going on lately.

"We still have to worry about that thing we saw the other night, Isaac creeping around Maggie, Allison's grandfather and all this stuff happening with Derek and him going after Maggie's friends, it just doesn't feel right." I said closing my locker.

"No, you're not backing out because you and Allison are obviously having quite a good time and I'm stuck in this awkward limbo with Maggie right now. I want to have good times too, Scott. Many good times, over and over again, in so many positions that I'll need some serious physical therapy and I can't do that if she hates me or Isaac is going after her." I felt my hands start to shake and he looked down at me.

"Are you even listening to me?" He asked and I listened for Maggie's heartbeat and a faint whisper.

" _Scott._ " Maggie was calling for me.

"Maggie!" I ran out of the locker room and Stiles followed me. Erica started to fall off the rock wall but Maggie put her hand up suspending her in midair. Her arm was shaking though. I ran over and caught Erica as Maggie fell to her knees. People ran out of the girls locker room and Allison looked at me.

"Maggie, are you okay?!" I yelled over as Stiles knelt down next to her.

"Put her on her side." Maggie said as Allison ran over to me.

"Put her on her side." Allison repeated. I put Erica on her side and she gripped my hand.

"How did you know?" Allison asked me and I looked over at Maggie as she took deep breaths.

"I felt it first and then Maggie called for me." I whispered as people stared down at us. It didn't take long before the paramedics showed up and Maggie was back on her feet again.

"I'm going to go with you." She held onto Erica's hand but she shook her head.

"No it's okay, I'll be fine." Erica said softly.

"I'm not going to leave you alone." Maggie insisted but she smiled.

"You were right about the meds. I should have stayed on them. I'm going to be okay. I'll give you a call once my mom picks me up." Erica let go of Maggie's hand and I waved at her. She gave me a weak smile.

"Thanks for saving me Scott. You're a nice guy." She said making me nod. She gave Maggie a pointed look as they wheeled her into the ambulance. I put my hand on Maggie's shoulder and she sighed.

"Thank you for coming." She said looking at me.

"I wouldn't make that mistake twice, Maggie. I'm here." I said firmly and she put her hand on top of mine.

**[Erica's POV]**

I was embarrassed and exhausted. I should have listen to Maggie when she said to keep taking my meds and that she would work out with me to keep the weight off. The ache was getting worse and no matter how much I tried to look normal, my hair refused to work with me. I was so tired of being the freak with the seizures. I was tired of my dad saying he was working late and really he was off rolling around with some other woman, making my mom feel like crap. Nurse Melissa came in and started to check me over the moment I had arrived.

"It's been awhile since we've seen you Erica, I thought you were being good about taking your medication?" Nurse McCall said.

"I was. Maggie told me I should stay on it but the side effects were..." I trailed off and she sighed.

"Well Maggie was right. Those side effects are pretty sucky but if the meds help the seizures then it's what you have to do." She explained.

"Are you gonna tell my mom?" I asked nervously. I knew my mom would but upset with me.

"I swear I don't want to but there is this team of lawyers in the back who would break my legs and I don't know if you've seen my legs but for a girl my age they're still pretty hot." She joked and I started wondering what it was like for Maggie to live with the McCall's. She smiled down at me and put her hand on my head.

"Doctor's gonna be in an a minute okay?" She said before leaving me alone in the room. I closed my eyes for a few minutes and took a deep breath. I didn't open my eyes right away when the gurney started moving but when I did, I saw a strange man standing over me.

"Lie still." He said holding onto my shoulder. I felt panic set in as he continued to wheel me away. Once he stopped the gurney I sat up quickly. I didn't think my legs would work quickly enough for me to run away but he didn't seem to approach me in a dangerous manner. He had my medication bottle in his hands.

"Side effects include anxiety, weight gain, acne…ulcerate colitis. Yikes." He said not looking at me.

"Who are you?" I asked but he didn't answer.

"You get a warning right before you have a seizure, don't you?" He moved towards me and asked.

"It's called an aura. It's like a metallic taste in my mouth." I said timidly afraid that the man was moving closer to hurt me.

"You don't have to lie, Erica. What's it really taste like?" He asked leaning on the table.

"It tastes like blood." I said meeting his gaze.

"What if I told you that all of this could go away, the side effects, the symptoms, all of it. And what if not only would they go away but everything else would get even better." This strange man was offering me something he knew he couldn't give and I shifted uncomfortably.

"Who are you?" I asked again a bit more firmly this time making him back up.

"I'm Maggie's cousin, Derek." He said tucking his hands into his pockets.

"I'm not sure I believe you." I said doubting he was really related to Maggie.

"She told me that you were at the memorial for Karen. It meant a lot to her. I couldn't be there and I'm glad she at least had you there. You're a good friend to Maggie. She cares a lot about you." My doubts started to melt away thinking about Maggie today trying to talk me through my seizure. I was unsure what happened when I let go of the wall but it felt like she was holding me up somehow.

"S-she's one of my only friends." I said honestly as Derek moved back towards me once more touching my leg.

"That's why I was hoping you'd want to become even closer friends and change all the terrible things in your life into positive things. Would you be willing to help Maggie find happiness and get rid of all these issues you have?" He questioned.

"Of course." I said and he pulled me abruptly to the end of the table.

"You trust Maggie like a sister. I can make you a part of our family. All you have to do is trust me. Can you do that?" I could feel his breath on my face and I tried to let out a breath of my own. What he was offering sounding like it was only possible in a dream but if he had some great and powerful cure for all of this then I should at least try.

"F-for Maggie? But h-how?" I said as his eyes flashed a bright red.

"Let me show you." He smiled showing off bright, white teeth that almost looked like fangs. His face started to shift slightly and I let out a squeak.

"Wh-what are you?" I asked in fear.

"I'm an alpha werewolf." He said simply.

"Werewolves aren't…they aren't…" I couldn't get the words out as he stroked his claws over my arms, lightly enough not to scratch me.

"We are. Isaac Lahey is one now, Scott McCall is one too. Even Maggie is. I came to you because I didn't want Maggie to feel alone with a bunch of males. She needs another female in the pack." Derek explained.

"Pack?" I asked as he moved my hospital gown off my shoulder slightly.

"Pack is your family. We run together and take care of one another. Under my leadership, I'll make sure you are always taken care of. As a pack, we're stronger and can't be threatened. That's what Maggie needs right now, protection." He said as I watched him touch my bare skin.

"Protection from what?" I questioned.

"Being a wolf has a downside like everything else. While we have incredibly fast healing and are unable to catch human diseases, there are still people that think of us as a threat. There are hunters, specifically the Argent's, that will capture, torture and kill us no matter how peaceful we seem. I'm telling you this now because it's your choice in the end. While your life will vastly improve, there is always a risk. The only thing I can do is train you, protect you and fight for you…kind of like a father." I looked up at Derek and he smiled.

"Will it hurt?" I asked nervously but he just smiled kissing my shoulder.

"Only for a moment." He said stepping behind me.

"I'm going to ask you once more since you now know the risks you'll be facing, do you want the bite?" I took a deep breath and thought about everything that Derek had said. I've never been anything other than an outsider. I didn't have many friends and I was tired of people making me feel weak because of this damn disease I was stuck with. I looked at Derek and his eyebrows went up.

"I want it. I'm sure." I closed my eyes and waited for him to do his worst. He waited until I took a deep breath before I could feel sharp teeth sink into the skin of my shoulder. I let out a groan and jumped slightly but the pain didn't last long before I felt something coursing through my veins. Something that made me feel like I was on fire slightly, something that made me feel strong and empowering. I slumped against Derek's chest and he put his arms around me, cradling me. I held onto him tightly and let the changes take place.

**[Maggie's POV]**

I couldn't get Erica out of my head after school. She hadn't texted me once her mom picked her up but when called Melissa she told me that she had been released and was fine. I had gotten the last of my stuff from my locker when I heard someone gasp. I looked over to see Jackson had Lydia cornered and she was breathing heavily.

"It's you, whatever it is. Blood, saliva, whatever soul killing substances that's running through your veins, you did this to me." Jackson was shaking he was so angry.

"You ruined it for me, YOU RUIN EVERYTHING!" He shouted making her cry a bit and I slammed my locker door shut and walked over.

"Back off, Jackson." He looked at me and gritted his teeth like he was going to yell in my face but I stared him down feeling the glow of my eyes.

"I said…back off, Jackson." I could hear his heart rate go up and he backed down as the bell rang. Lydia took off towards the bathrooms and I watched Jackson look after her like he had suddenly snapped out of whatever rage he was in. Something about him smelt off. I pulled out my phone and tried to call Derek to make sure he didn't bite Jackson but he didn't pick up. I tried to shut off my wolf senses immediately, knowing that if Jackson was a werewolf, Scott would have smelt it by now. I ran down the hall to find Lydia and she was standing in front of the trophy case.

"Lydia?" I called out to her but she didn't move. I reached out and put my hand on her shoulder and I accidentally latched with her. I could see Peter attacking her on the field that night and then her crying in the bathroom a few moments ago before following someone who looked dangerously like him to this very trophy case. I pulled away and she was breathing heavy.

"This…this is all your fault." Lydia cried rubbing her arm.

"How long have you been seeing him?" I asked her out of breath and she shook her head.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She lied.

"I can't help you if you lie to me." I said firmly but she started walking away.

"I don't need your help, you're crazy. Stay away from me!" She shouted but I grew impatient.

"LYDIA!" She stopped dead in her tracks as the lockers shook. I walked towards her slowly and saw that Jackson had bruised her arm.

"I'm not going to hurt you and I don't want to see you get hurt okay? Please just let me see your arm." She looked down at her arm and noticed the bruise. She wouldn't give me her arm so I just let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry that he hurt you. I really am. I know it's my fault and I hope someday you can forgive me." I put my hand on her bruise lightly and said the incantation in my head as the bruise quickly disappeared. She looked down at her arm and I started to walk out of the school but she called out to me.

"What they say about you…is it all true?" She asked hesitantly.

"Probably but I'd never hurt anyone on purpose. I'm not that kind of witch." I said with a small smile before pushing out the doors. People were going to say whatever they wanted about me. That was high school in a nutshell but I wasn't going to have people thinking I was a danger to them. That's not what my family instilled in me and that's not the hype any witch wants. I texted Stiles to keep in eye on Lydia before walking back to Scott's house. It wasn't insanely far but by the time I got there I felt like I could definitely use a nap. It was nice to bounce back and forth to Scott's and Stiles house. It certainly helped to avoid the conversation I knew was coming with Stiles about the kiss the night of all hell breaking loose. I had almost admitted my feelings for him on the dance floor but as fate would have it, I was late for getting impaled by wolf claws. I knew he wanted to talk about it. He kept trying to bring it up but I always sidestepped it. I walked out of the room to grab some paper from Scott's room when I heard a noise in my room. I walked back in and saw that the window was opened and a blond was sitting on my bed.

"Surprise." I stood there baffled for a moment unsure of just who I was staring at. It looked like Erica but her hair was tamed and straight, much shinier and tame than I'd ever seen it. Her face was clear of any acne and was painted with a good layer of makeup but her body stood confidently in tight black jeans, a belly shirt that her breasts were pushed up in topped with a leather jacket. She looked like a completely different person. That's when it hit me.

"Oh no…" I stood up and she spun around.

"What do you think? I'm so in love with it I could just die but I won't." She laughed. I felt my stomach drop like I was on a roller coaster as I covered my mouth.

"Please tell me you didn't..." I started to say but she showed me the fresh teeth marks on her shoulder.

"I can't believe you've been holding out on me for so long. I've never felt more alive." Erica said throwing her arms out.

"I can't believe he gave you the bite. I'm going to kill him." I ran my hand through my hair.

"Why are you so upset? I thought you'd be happy now that you weren't the only female in the bunch anymore?" Erica asked.

"You don't understand what you've gotten yourself into. This…this isn't a gift, Erica." I tried to explain but she didn't seem to get it.

"Derek told me about the hunters and everything but it doesn't matter. This feels like a gift to me. I mean, look at me, Maggie. I have never looked this good. I've never felt this strong." She gestured to her body and I lost my temper.

"IT'S NOT REALLY YOU!" I shouted making her face fall.

"I-I thought you'd be happy about this." She said with a hitch in her throat. I could barely think straight. Derek had to stop turning people. What he was doing was wrong, he had to know that.

"Just tell me why. Why didn't you come to me and talk to me first?" I asked confused. Erica and I were close and after what happened today, I was baffled as to why she wouldn't ask me about this life first.

"Because I wanted things to change. I wanted to not be the ugly girl with the seizures. I wanted my dad to give a shit about my health improving. I wanted to feel beautiful and strong." She started to get upset and I shook my head.

"The bite doesn't give you those things. It makes you a target. You didn't need the become this to be all of those things. You were strong and beautiful before the bite and now…" I was at a loss for words and Erica sobbed.

"I can't..I can't take you being mad at me. This is the happiest I've been in a long time and I want you by my side for it." She stepped closer to me and I looked down at my feet fighting my own emotions.

"I'm…I'm not mad at you. I just wish I could understand why you did it." I said knowing that my disappointment was evident.

"Derek told me that we would be like sisters. You're the only friend I've had Maggie, please don't abandon me now." Erica cried and I felt heat boiling in my stomach. I stood up and wrapped my arms around her.

"Go home and make sure your mom knows that you are okay. Tell her that I gave you a makeover. Anything else will only make her suspicious." I said and she shook her head before wiping her face. I put my hand on her cheek and she smiled.

"Be careful." I said as she walked out of the house. The moment I could feel her a few miles away, I grabbed the keys to Louis's car, which I guess was really mine now that Karen was gone and drove it to what I could only call Derek's lair. I stormed down the steps to see him clearing something out of the street car.

"What the hell didn't you understand when I told you to stop turning teens?" I asked hearing him chuckle.

"Hello Maggie, I'm good, how are you?" He said not even looking at me.

"Cut the crap, Derek! You have to stop this." I said making him turn around.

"We need a pack, Maggie. I realize you're overwhelmed and sympathetic but I'm not giving the bite to anyone who doesn't want it." Derek explained.

"You know what we're up against. Why are you dragging people into our mess?" I asked confused.

"BECAUSE WE ARE WEAK WITHOUT A PACK!" He yelled.

"You mean you're weak without a pack. Stop trying to make this about you trying to protect me and not your own selfish reasons." I called Derek out and he threw something heavy down before storming out of the street car growling.

"Growl all you want, Derek! I'm not afraid of you. I'm not one of your betas, I will never submit to you." He practically flew across the floor before lifting me up by my shoulders, wolfed out.

"You think this hurts me?! YOU'RE AN IDIOT! Our whole family is dead because of this stupid shit and you think shoving me up against a wall is going to hurt me?! YOU RUINING PEOPLE'S LIVES HURTS ME!" He dropped me back to my feet and took a step back still wolfed out.

"You took two teenagers with shitty lives and offered them the world but you forgot that my whole life has been miserable since werewolves became a thing." I reminded him focusing on the blood pumping in my veins and the sound of my heartbeat in my ears.

"I gave them a choice. They knew what we were facing-" I cut Derek off.

"THEY'RE JUST STUPID KIDS! THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY'VE GOTTEN THEMSELVES INTO! You were born into this so I understand why you feel a pack is-" He cut me off this time.

"So were you." He said simply as he got his wolf under control.

"What?" I questioned.

"You were born into this too, whether you want to admit it or not, you're a wolf Maggie. Seeing as how you've decided to block out your wolf abilities, it would appear you need a pack more than ever." Derek said glancing over my shoulder. I turned my head and saw Isaac and Erica standing there. Isaac looked embarrassed but Erica looked pissed.

"Derek told me you were some special kind of wolf but I can see now that you're just wasting it." Erica spat crossing her arms over her chest.

"Erica, I just care about-" She laughed.

"You know what? I thought being close with you was going to be amazing but after listening to your little rant I can see now that was a mistake. I don't need your permission to do things with my life so maybe you should get off your high horse and stop acting like a princess." She said making me sigh. Isaac stayed silent next to her. I walked towards them and side stepped them to get to the steps before looking back at Derek.

"I'm not coming to you as a wolf. I'm coming to you as a cousin and I'm begging you…don't bring anyone else I care about into this or you will lose the only Hale left." I held Derek's gaze but he tightened his jaw not saying anything. I went back to Scott's that night and shut the door to my room. I didn't sit and cry or wallow. I sat on the floor and tried to reason with myself about how the improvements of Erica and Isaac's lives weren't worth what could possibly happen to them. It was wrong of Derek to put more lives in jeopardy and yes he was the one that bit them but he never would have known about them if it weren't for me. I heard soft knock on the door around 10:30 and I knew it was Scott before he even walked in. He looked at me and sat down on the bed.

"Mom said you haven't come out all night. Is everything okay?" Scott asked looking concerned but I knew I couldn't bring myself to tell him. I'm sure he'd find out on his own anyway.

"Can I ask you something?" I bit my lip.

"Sure." Scott said.

"Do you…do you ever think that if we weren't friends that Peter wouldn't have bitten you?" I asked honestly seeing Scott's eyebrows furrow.

"What? Of course not. Why would you think that?" Scott asked putting his hand on my shoulder. I shook my head and looked up at him.

"I'm just…I'm sorry, for everything." I apologized and Scott gripped my hand before kissing the back of it.

"No matter what happens, I'll never regret knowing you Mags. I love you, you're my family." Scott said making me weepy. He kissed my head before getting up.

"Get some sleep." He pulled the door closed and I tried not to get upset knowing he'd be listening for my heartbeat. That night was restless for me. When I did manage to drift to sleep, I had nightmares about Derek turning Stiles. The next morning I was so exhausted and paranoid that I snapped at Scott to make sure he kept an eye on Stiles. He was clearly confused but he seemed to listen anyway. I walked into lunch and saw Stiles talking to Boyd, oddly enough.

"Come on man, have you seen the piece of crap jeep I drive?" Stiles said.

"Have you seen the piece of crap bus I take?" Boyd challenged as I walked up behind him.

"What's going on?" I asked looking at Stiles.

"Stiles is trying and failing miserably at bargaining with me." Boyd said eating another chip.

"I was merely trying to get a friendly discount to make this evening special." Stiles said gesturing towards me but Boyd huffed.

"Well in that case, give him the full amount. Whatever it is, it's an evening to make up for being a jerk. My good friend Boyd not only came to the memorial but brought his family." I rested my hands on Boyd's shoulders and he grinned at Stiles. Stiles groaned digging through his pockets and pulling out the rest of Boyd's money. Boyd handed him a set of keys and I eyed him.

"Ice skating? I should have seen that coming." I walked over to the chair Stiles was sitting in and gestured for him to get up.

"We're heading there after Scott gets off work. I'll pick you up before I grab Scott. Also you should probably know that Allison and Lydia will also be there." Stiles said making me look up at him with annoyance.

"I just…I just didn't want you to be surprised." He said nervously.

"Why would that surprise me Stiles? Since when do you and Scott ever make things up to me on your own?" I asked too tired to even lose my shit on him. Before he could reply, I waved my hand around dismissing him. He took the hint and walked away thankfully.

"Great, I barely slept last night and they want me to ice skate. Tonight should be super." I said looking up and seeing Boyd frowning at me.

"Why do you look so glum? You just made 50 bucks." I said playfully.

"You realize once you start dating Stilinski, you'll forget all about having lunch with me. It's pretty much inevitable." Boyd said making me laugh but he didn't seem amused.

"What are you talking about? This is supposed to make up for them not showing up at the funeral and he'll be drooling over Lydia Martin while I eat M&M's. Does that sound like fun to you?" I questioned but he shrugged.

"I just…I don't want to be an after thought. I'd miss having you around if you suddenly decided I wasn't cool enough to hang out with." I hated that no one saw how amazing Boyd was. He was strong and funny but no one really bothered to give him a chance. I reached out and put my hand on top of his.

"You were the second friend I made when I got here, Boyd and if you haven't noticed I'm the biggest freak to walk these halls. I'm more worried that you'll stop letting me hang out with you so quit that thing you're doing with your face." I gestured to his face and he shook his head trying to hide a smile before putting a huge cheesy grin on.

"Much better…now give me a Dorito." I asked before he tilted the bag in my direction. Out of the corner of my eye I saw someone walk into the lunch room. Heads turned as Erica sauntered into the lunchroom eying Scott and Stiles before taking a kids apple and biting into it. She was showing off her new look and made sure everyone was watching.

"Isn't that-" I cut Boyd off.

"I've got to go." I stood up quickly and walked out of the cafeteria, knowing that Derek would probably be waiting for her to come out. He sat in his car smirking.

"You're taunting me now? What are you 12?" I asked folding my arms over my chest.

"I'm just trying to protect you. Someday you'll see this was all worth it." Derek said as the doors behind me opened and Erica walked out next to me.

"Did you see Stiles gawking at me in there? I think my chances are better now, don't you think?" Erica rolled her eyes to the side.

"It's going to be like that now?" I questioned and she smiled.

"What do I know? I'm just a stupid kid remember?" She quoted me bitterly before walking towards Derek.

"You stay away from him, Derek. I mean it." I warned him as the doors behind me swing open again and the boys nearly knocked me over. He smiled at them before pulling out of the lot.

"He got Erica." Stiles said from behind me.

"I know." I spoke up earning a strange look from Scott.

"You knew he got Erica and didn't tell me?" Scott asked confused.

"Scott!" Stiles put his hand on his shoulder trying to back him down.

"Well who else is he going to try and change since you're apparently in the know?" I whipped around and looked at Scott.

"I DON'T KNOW! I tried talking to him but he won't listen. He's using the short list of people I care about to form some sort of dream team and since you aren't going to join him, all I really know is that he's going to need one more person." I looked over at Stiles and he looked around uneasy.

"You think he's going to go after me?" Stiles asked and Scott continued to stare at me.

"Not if I can help it. Looks like I'll be on you like white on rice today." I sighed seeing him exchange a look with Scott before shaking his head. I wasn't going to let Derek get to Stiles. As much as this curse wanted to, I wasn't going to let it control my life.

**[Stiles POV]**

After finding out about Derek biting Erica and possibly coming after me, things were a bit tense. Maggie seemed pretty bummed for the rest of the night and when we picked Scott up from work to head to the rink she still hadn't said much.

"Stop thinking so much. This is supposed to be fun." I said as we pulled up to see the girls already there and waiting.

"You used to love ice skating." Scott spoke up from the passenger seat.

"While the gesture was nice and nostalgic, let's not pretend this doesn't have equal opportunities in it for you two. You get a date night with the secret girlfriend and you get to play the shoulder for Lydia Martin to cry on about how I ruined her life." I felt like Maggie didn't even realize how much of a jab that was until Scott spoke up.

"If you really feel that way then I can tell Allison and Lydia that we changed our minds." Scott said looking back at Maggie. She looked up at the both of us and shrugged.

"Let's just go already." She said making me turn the jeep off. I helped Maggie out as Scott greeted Allison and Lydia.

"It's going to be fun, I promise." I smiled at her but she just ignored me. I gave Lydia a smile and she rolled her eyes at the both of us as I turned the lights on in the rink.

"Hi Maggie." Allison spoke up with a smile and Maggie waved before pushing past me to go inside. Scott rubbed Allison's back as they followed her in. I knew it was driving him crazy that Maggie had shut Allison down but he knew he couldn't fight it. Not after that night anyway.

We all grabbed some skates and started lacing up when Lydia sat down right next to me. I looked over at her and smiled stupidly as Maggie walked towards some arcade games and checked her phone.

"Could it be colder in here?" Lydia said rubbing her legs trying to warm them. I reached in my bag and pulled out a shirt.

"Here." I offered it to her but she looked at me like I was crazy.

"I'm wearing blue. Orange and blue, not a good combination." She said tightening her laces.

"But it's the color of the Mets." I said baffled by her statement.

"The who's?" Lydia questioned.

"The Mets are a baseball team, The Who is a band and I'm going to the bathroom in case either of you panic at my absence." Maggie walked past and Scott and I exchanged bummed looks.

"I thought you two made up or whatever. Why does it seem like she'd rather stab her eyes out?" Lydia asked watching Maggie walk away.

"We did, she's just having a bad week. She buried her aunt a few days ago and hasn't really been sleeping." I said unconsciously. As much as I'd love to be enjoying the moment with Lydia, I kept thinking about Maggie. Maybe she would have had more fun if Isaac were here.

"How come she bounces back and forth between you and Scott's house? I mean where's her dad?" I looked over at Lydia and was surprised by her curiosity.

"He's...he's dead too. She's got an uncle though. He's out of town right now though so that's why she's bunking with us…not like with us-with us but in the guest room." I said covering quickly.

"So did you figure out who you really like? You seemed pretty torn the night of the dance." I looked over at her with wide eyes, unsure if she was actually wanting to know how I felt about her or not and she glanced over to the bathroom.

"Look, you can sit here and be a drag while Maggie sulks or you can have fun with me." She stood up and took my hand, pulling me towards the ice. Maggie was still looking at her phone. I followed Lydia onto the ice and watched her skate around. She was actually pretty good. She skated towards me and took my hand again, skating around.

"So tell me more about Maggie's family. I mean I already know she's a witch but was her father a witch too?" I was lost by all the sudden interest Lydia had with Maggie.

"You aren't planning to do anything drastic again right? I mean Maggie is already have a really rough time. She doesn't need anyone else trying to make her family out to be some sideshow." I said but Lydia rolled her eyes.

"Go check on your friend." She shoved me slightly. I almost slipped but I made sure to stay on my feet. Maggie was biting her lip as she texted someone but quickly put her phone in her pocket when she saw me approach.

"Blogging about how you have the worst friends ever?" I joked and she shook her head.

"I wouldn't waste my time blogging about you when I could just text people." She said as I sat down next to her. Lydia was doing her own thing now and Scott was seriously struggling to stay on his feet.

"You would think being a werewolf would help his coordination." I pointed out.

"I think the coordination is supposed to be utilized for more important things. I guess ice skating isn't one of those things." She said still not looking at me.

"There goes his dream of being a figure skater." I joked and finally got a laugh out of her.

"I think that's the first smile I've gotten out of you all day." I nudged her shoulder and she shook her head.

"I'm pretty sure Scott in a figure skating outfit wouldn't be a very good combination. He hates skinny jeans so tights would probably make him want to choke himself out." Maggie added making me smile.

"You're probably right but you know sometimes unlikely combinations can be a good thing. Kind of like two people you wouldn't ever think would be good together but are actually pretty perfect together." I licked my lips hoping Maggie would pick up what I was saying.

"I wouldn't really call Scott and Allison the perfect couple but I guess I could be wrong. What do I know about relationships?" She got up and started to walk away but I followed.

"Well you probably know more than me, I mean I pretty much dream up situations in my head but reality never comes close. I imagine you have pretty intense dreams too." I said without thinking and she spun around.

"Seriously? Okay fine, yes I had an intimate dream the other night. So what?! It's normal to have those dreams, I have them on occasion just like you do. It's not unheard of." She defended but I put my hands up.

"I wasn't even thinking of that to be honest but now that you brought it up I'm kind of intrigued about these intimate dreams you seem to have on the regular." I said honestly and she hit my arm.

"Shut up." She ignored but I pushed.

"Do you have dreams about me?" I asked making her stop. She blushed and I knew instantly that she had.

"You really shouldn't leave your date out there alone." She tried to change the subject and I laughed.

"Seriously? L-like what um…what's going on in these dreams?" I asked swallowing hard. She let out a sigh before pushing her hair out of her face.

"Typically I just go in your room at night, peel the covers off of you and start kissing you in all the places that I can see." I felt my throat go dry and tried not to actually visualize what Maggie was saying.

"A-am I typically wearing…am I wearing clothes?" I asked as she rocked on her feet.

"The really hot dreams are of you in Spiderman jammies but typically you're shirtless which by the way, nice bod." I laughed nervously and could barely find the words to say.

"I'm just…I don't even know how to comprehend any of the things you are saying right now but please feel free to continue." I was totally transfixed as she moved closer to me.

"You want to know the hottest part of it all? Right before I start taking my clothes off, you turn into a donkey and I dress you up in a princess dress to have tea with." My face fell and I realized she was messing with me.

"That was cruel and unusual punishment, do you know that?" I said as she put her hand on my chest.

"Yeah well so is being the 5th wheel on your dream date, asshat." She pushed off my chest to walk past me but I grabbed her arm.

"You know this wasn't supposed to be the 5 of us. I asked Scott if it would be weird for me to ask you to go ice skating with me and he said he didn't want to be the third wheel. It wasn't supposed to be…" I bit my bottom lip and she stared at me. Before either of us could say anything a shrill scream filled the rink and we both knew it was Lydia. I skated out on the ice as fast as I could and slid down next to her.

"LYDIA?! What's wrong?! What is it?" I asked as she continued to freak out. Maggie finally made it across the ice and looked at Lydia.

"Lydia, what did you see? LYDIA!" She yelled making Lydia look up at Maggie as I held onto her. Maggie looked where her hand was and put hers on the ice. Maggie made that face that I had finally gotten used to when she latched with someone or something.

"SCOTT! I NEED HELP!" I yelled as him and Allison skated over. Scott grabbed Maggie and she fell back into him.

"What is it?! What's going on?" I asked as she breathed heavily like she was terrified.

"Maybe we should go?" Allison said and took Lydia's hand.

"What was it Maggie? What did you see?" Scott asked but I had to grip her face before she would snap out of it.

"Peter…it was Peter." She said scrambling to get off the ice. Scott and I pressed the entire ride back to his house but she wouldn't talk about what she saw or why Lydia might be seeing Peter. Maggie laid down on the bed in her room at the McCall's and rubbed her head.

"It's going to be okay, Mags. Peter's dead. I watched Derek kill him myself." She looked up at me and shook her head.

"I'm afraid Derek is following in his footsteps. Peter got Scott, ruined his life. Now Derek is going after everyone I care about and doing the same. I'm not sure I can protect everyone, Stiles." She tried to take a deep breath but I could tell she was fighting her emotions. I reached out and took her hand giving it a squeeze.

"That's why you have me and Scott. We will do whatever we can to help." I said firmly and she seemed to let the tension out of her body as she fell asleep. I walked out into the hall where Scott was waiting.

"What are we going to do?" I asked him as we both stood in the doorway staring at Maggie.

"If Derek doesn't want to talk to us then we'll go to the next best thing." Scott said looking from Maggie to me.

**[Scott's POV]**

I watch Maggie toss and turn all night wanting to ask her a ton of questions but I knew with what happened to Erica and Isaac, she was already beating herself up. I also knew that Derek needed 3 betas for a full pack which meant we had to find out who he was going to turn next before he actually did it. I went to school the next day to find Erica at her locker.

"Two's not enough for Derek, I know he needs at least three. Who's next?" I cut to the chase and she smirked.

"Why does there need to be a next when we already have you?" She asked.

"Who's next?" I raised my voice and her eyes went wide a bit before she shifted her body.

"You know I never realized what I looked like having a seizure until some idiot recorded me in class one day and put it online." She said simply.

"I don't care. Derek is destroying Maggie-" She cut me off.

"I started seizing and everyone kept saying how to put something in my mouth so it didn't break my teeth but sweet little Maggie was there to stop them. Then I pissed myself and you know what? Maggie didn't even blink. She tried to destroy that kids phone but it didn't work. I had to see it all happen right there on the internet." She shoved me back into the lockers and I took a deep breath trying to calm myself.

"Look at me now Scott. I thought Maggie was my friend but now that I know just how strong she is, well she's kind of a bitch if you think about it. All she had to do was help me get rid of the seizures, heal me but she didn't. She was selfish and now she's wasting her talents just like you're wasting your time with her." Erica had her arms wrapped around my neck and I looked down the hall to see Allison watching us. From where she was standing, I'm sure she was getting the wrong impression. I gripped Erica's wrists and she gasped for a moment before groaning like she enjoyed the pain. I released her wrists and saw Allison was no longer standing there.

"You just remember that it was Maggie who was there when those jerks took that video and she was the only one who cared enough to make sure you were alright. If she didn't fix you or make you into some fake hot chick it was because she already felt you were strong and beautiful on your own." I said before walking away and leaving Erica at her locker. I tried texting Allison but she said we could talk at lunch. I sat down waiting for her to come in but she sat behind me silently for a few moments.

"It wasn't what it looked like." I said quickly without turning around.

"I don't care. She's with Derek now isn't she? He got her and Isaac, don't you think that's a little suspicious?" Allison said.

"Suspicious how? He's building a pack." I said not sure what she meant.

"He's building a pack out of people Maggie is friends with." Her words made me want to turn around but I didn't.

"Maggie didn't know he was going to be going after them and if she had then she would have said something." I said defensively. Allison's heart rate picked up slightly.

"You can't get caught in the middle of this, Scott. Don't you feel what's happening here? My grandfather showing up, Derek building a pack for Maggie, it's like battle lines are being drawn. There is always crossfire." She said firmly.

"What am I supposed to do? I can't just stand by and watch Maggie get hurt, I can't pretend to be normal." I said hoping she would understand.

"I don't want you to be normal. I want you to be alive." Allison stood up and walked away with her tray as Stiles ran in.

"Hey how's Maggie?" I asked knowing that Stiles had spent the morning with her so she didn't worry.

"Well she said that I should be here watching Danny but what do you see missing over there?" He asked looking at the table by the door. It was empty and I was lost for a moment but then I remember yesterday when Maggie sat there.

"Boyd." I said as we both scrambled out of the lunch room.

"She thought he'd go after Danny or me but I told her that Derek pretty much can't stand me so I'm in the clear. I figure Danny's life is pretty sweet so the next best thing is Boyd. I mean he eats alone most days and doesn't have any friends." Stiles was saying as we walked through the hallway.

"Maggie's his friend." I corrected him.

"Well what are we going to do?" Stiles asked.

"I'll go to the ice rink and see if he's there. You check his house and if he's not there than you call me, got it?" I said but Stiles twisted his face up.

"What?" I asked stopping.

"Maybe we should let him? I mean it's Boyd. I know Maggie is upset about it but come on, look how good Erica looks now and Isaac's dad was apparently an abusive douche. You know how much I hate backing Derek for pretty much anything other than death but maybe we should let Derek form his little pack or whatever." I slammed my fist into Stiles shoulder and he winced.

"Dude?! What the hell?" He asked as we started walking again.

"First off, Maggie would kill you if she heard you say that. Second, Erica wont look so good once the hunters put a wolfsbane bullet in her head. I'm not going to let Derek ruin a bunch of lives and then say it was for Maggie. After everything she's lost, you think she can handle this weight on her own? I'm going to do whatever I can to make sure we can help Maggie this time. No more letting her get hurt or her shutting us out." I explained as we got to the doors.

"I'm with you man and can I just say this new found heroism is making me very attracted to you." Stiles teased.

"Shut up." I tried not to laugh.

"You just want to try making out for a second?" I shoved Stiles out of the doors and he walked towards his jeep.

"I wouldn't want Maggie getting jealous." I teased him and he stopped.

"What? What's wrong?" I asked making Stiles hit the door of his jeep.

"I don't think she really wants to talk about it. I mean maybe I should just let it go?" Stiles said. I shook my head and ran over to put my hand on his shoulder.

"This week has been long and sucky for Maggie. Maybe after we save Boyd, she'll be more willing to talk. Trust me, Maggie cares about you." I tried to reassure him before running back to my bike. He pulled out of the lot and I halled ass to the ice rink to find Boyd on the zamboni.

"Did Maggie send you?" He asked looking unhappy to see me.

"No I came on my own, I just want to talk." I said putting my hands up.

"Did Derek tell you everything? I don't just mean going out of control on the full moon, I mean everything." I said. He turned the zamboni off and looked over at me.

"He told me about the hunters." He said unamused.

"And that's not enough to say no?" I question stunned.

"Whatever you want there are other ways to get it." I added trying to convince him.

"I just want to not eat lunch alone every day. I don't want Maggie feeling like she's obligated to me like I'm holding her back or something." Boyd said.

"If you're looking for friends then you could do A LOT better than Derek." I rolled my eyes.

"That really hurts Scott. If you're going to review me than at least take a consensus." Derek said surprising me.

"Erica, how's life been for you since we've met?" Derek asked as Erica and Isaac stood next to him.

"In a word...transformative." She growled at me baring her teeth.

"Isaac?" Derek pressed.

"Well I'm a little bummed about being a fugitive but other than that I'm great." Isaac smirked.

"I'm sure Maggie would disagree." I said narrowing my eyes at Isaac. He looked down for a moment before shrugging.

"What exactly are you doing for her Scott? Making her think that everything is going to be fine and dandy because you're secretly dating the girl who will eventually be the one trying to kill her. You think you and Stiles will be able to protect her from the things that are coming?" Derek was baiting me. I could feel it. Isaac and Erica started towards me slowly.

"This isn't much of a fair fight." I said feeling my wolf trying to take control.

"Then go home Scott. Go home and stop pretending that you can handle this on your own." Derek gestured to Isaac and Erica and they started towards me quickly. I slammed my fist down on the ice, cracking it and letting my wolf take over.

"I meant fair for them." I growled. They came at me and I was ready. I had the strength to fight them and it wasn't too hard to get them apart but they were practically rabid trying to overpower me. Isaac got a hold of me and slammed me into the zamboni.

"You think this is what she wants for you?! Her whole family is dead because of this curse, you idiot!" I growled pushing him off.

"I can protect her!" Isaac gritted.

"She doesn't need you to protect her. He didn't turn you for her, he turned you for himself!" I yelled as jumped on top of him.

"Just because you think it's a curse doesn't mean we all do!" Erica jumped on my back and I tossed her off knocking her out. Once her and Isaac were finally down I tossed them to Derek's feet.

"IT IS A CURSE! ALL OF IT! YOU AREN'T HELPING ANYONE, YOU'RE ONLY HURTING MAGGIE!" I screamed making Derek snarl.

"ENOUGH!" Derek shook his head before walking towards me.

"When the hunters come for her, do you think you could save her? You can't even save yourself, Scott. She needs a pack. She needs an Alpha." Derek said his eyes flashing red and his claws coming out.

"When Kate had you chained up in the basement of your house, it was Maggie that found you. Kind of sounds like you can't take care of yourself." I argued but that only spurred Derek on. He growled at me before heading butting me in the face. I fought him as hard as I could but I could actually feel him much stronger Derek was now that he was an alpha. The moment his claws ripped into me, I was down. He put his foot on my chest and I tried to breathe but he wasn't letting me up.

"STOP!" My head turned as well as everyone else's to the small figure at the door. Maggie stepped onto the ice and Derek let his foot off of my chest. I coughed blood and tried not to breathe too deep. Maggie looked over at Isaac and Erica before rushing over to me.

"Scott, are you okay?" I turned towards her and she looked at the claw marks on my stomach.

"Why are you doing this?! You're supposed to love me and take care of me and you do it by hurting all the people I'm trying to protect!" Maggie shouted at Derek who was no longer wolfed out.

"I'm doing this to protect you. Stop being so blind to the world Maggie and grow up." Derek growled looking over at Boyd. Boyd looked down at us and I could smell the salty tears welling up behind her eyes.

"Don't do this Boyd. You don't want to be like him." I said through clenched teeth. He lifted his shirt and revealed the bite mark.

"You're right, I want to be like you." Boyd said smiling and nodding his head at Maggie. I let my weight fall back in Maggie's lap and she stroked my hair.

"It's going to be okay." I said wincing.

"You're the one with the claw marks idiot." She wiped her face and let my claws retract and fangs go in.

"I'm sorry we couldn't save Boyd." I said honestly but she shook her head.

"We need to get you to the animal hospital. I don't know why these aren't healing and I'm...I don't know..." She tried to put her hand over it but it was shaking terribly. I gripped her hand and she looked at me. She helped me to my feet and we walked carefully across the ice.

"I sure hope you drove here because I'd hate to have to try and ride my bike." I joked and she laughed but I could it wasn't sincere. She was worried about me. I got in the car and and she drove towards the animal hospital. She was fidgeting the whole time even after we started to walk inside.

"Why isn't it healing?" She asked me.

"Because it's from an alpha." We both looked up to see Deaton standing there with a body on his operating table.

"Holy-" I started to say.

"We should probably have a talk." He said with a sigh. Deaton got some bandages and some other things.

"They're coming back so we don't have much time to talk." He said dabbing a swab with something.

"What is that?" I asked suspicious.

"It's rubbing alcohol, you don't want it to get infected right?" He started to dab it.

"Who's coming? Why isn't he healing?" Maggie asked in a panic and Deaton turned to her putting his hand on her shoulder.

"Maggie, you need to calm down." Maggie took a deep breath.

"It will heal the same but not as quickly because of Derek." Deaton said putting a fresh bandage over it.

"How do you know all of this stuff? I mean this is the second time you've saved me and I still haven't gotten a real answer." I pressed feeling the sting of the alcohol on the wound.

"That's a story for another day. All I can tell you is that I know about your kind, your kind I can help but this...this is something different." Deaton said.

"What did this?" Maggie asked and I looked over at her.

"I'm not sure but the Argent's will." Deaton said.

"Would it be in some of the old books Karen left me?" Maggie spoke up.

"Probably but you need to know what you're looking for first. If someone can get a first hand account-" I cut Deaton off.

"I can help her figure it out or I can check into the Argent's." I spoke up.

"You're looking for records of all the creatures they've come in contact with." Deaton explained.

"How many creatures are there?" I asked baffled.

"Tons." Maggie spoke up.

"You need to go now. Scott, rest up and let that heal on it's own. Maggie, you need to lay low. If either of you need anything, call my number." Deaton shoved us out the back and I looked at Maggie. She checked her phone and looked at me.

"I haven't heard from Stiles. I should-" I cut her off.

"I'll be fine. Go make sure he's okay and I'll call you tomorrow." I reached over and took Maggie's hand.

"Everything is going to be okay, I promise." I told her as she got in the car.

**[Maggie's POV]**

I dropped Scott off at his house but I hated leaving him. I parked the car on the street and used the keys I had to let myself in.

"Yeah man, I'm fine. Just let me know what you find out." Stiles was on the phone. He turned around and was holding an ice pack to his head.

"I didn't know you were here. Where's the jeep?" I asked smelling how fresh he smelled obviously from showering.

"I ran into Erica trying to find Boyd. I had to have it towed." He explained sitting on his bed.

"What the hell happened to your head?" I walked closer to him to see the bruise he was hiding with the ice pack.

"It's a funny story actually, Erica used a piece of the jeep to hit me in the face with." He chuckled and then winced from the pain.

"Let me see." I walked up on Stiles and he bit his bottom lip.

"I guess it's not that funny huh?" He joked but I frowned.

"Maggie, I'm fine." He said as I checked the rest of his face to make sure she didn't do more than just hit him.

"No you aren't. That..that bitch hit you in the head. She could have really hurt you Stiles." I said sounding way too much like a worried mother. I looked at his mouth and it was turned up.

"It's not funny." I said bringing the ice back up to his head and he sat on his bed.

"I guess it's just funny to see you worrying about me like this. Earlier you were dangling wet dreams and redemption over my head and now you're ready to go all cat fight." Stiles said making me narrow my eyes at him.

"This entire week has been one big nightmare and you're still hung up on the wet dreams? You really need to sort out your life." I sat down next to him on the bed and he laughed. It was silent for a few minutes before he spoke.

"You know it's not your fault. Derek gave them a choice and they took it knowing the risks." Stiles said.

"He took advantage of kids and used me as bait. Now he's hurting Scott and sending someone I thought was my friend to hurt you..." Stiles pulled my hand away from his head.

"Scott has the whole super healing thing going for him and you know I bounce back quickly." He said holding my hand in his.

"I know I'm going to have to make a choice soon and it's giving me such bad anxiety I cant even perform simple healing spells." I said ashamed in myself. Stiles turned his body towards me.

"Hey, no one is going to make you pick between us and them. Scott and I wouldn't do that to you." Stiles said.

"I'm not so sure Derek would be against it. The worst part is, other people suffer because I can't keep my emotions in check." I felt exhausted just sitting on his bed and he put his hand on my neck rubbing the side of my cheek.

"I wish I could make things easier for you Mag's. I really do but the only thing I can try to do is take some of the weight off of you. This isn't your fault. The things that happen because of what Derek started doesn't land on your conscience." Stiles leaned his forehead against mine lightly trying not to rest the goose egg on his head onto my forehead. I let out a shaky breath and closed my eyes.

"If anything happens to you or Scott..." I trailed off and Stiles squeezed my hands.

"Don't think like that okay?" Stiles kissed my forehead and pulled me into a hug. He held me in his arms for a few moments before he spoke.

"Can I ask you a question?" He said as I remained still.

"Have you ever had a sexy dream about me, for real?" I couldn't help but laugh and I knew that's what he was going for.

"For your own personal health, you probably don't want to be in my dreams. I dreamed about Isaac getting attacked by the alpha and look where he's at now." I said as the Sheriff came up the stairs.

"Hey, you kids okay? What happened to your head? Where's the jeep?" He asked and I stood up.

"Stiles is going to explain all that to you while I take a shower." I patted him on the shoulder and he looked at me.

"Are you okay sweetie?" I looked up at the Sheriff and smiled.

"I am now. Goodnight." I kissed his cheek before grabbing some clothes and hopping in the shower. I let the hot water wash over me and a bit of Scott's blood swirled the drain. I had let three people I care about get taken by this curse, another was seriously hurt and now I was too freaked out to even take Stiles pain away. I closed my eyes and tried to breathe in the steam. I didn't want to spend too much time in the shower because it would keep the Sheriff up and I didn't want him to worry anymore than he already was. I got clean and dressed before walking out to cheek on the Sheriff. His door was shut and Stiles was too. I walked into my room and saw him sitting on the bed.

"Did you take something for that or are you going to let it ache in the morning?" I asked him as he pulled the sheets down on the bed to tuck me in.

"I took something because I knew you'd give me the mom speech. Do you think you'll be able to sleep or did you want me to get something for you?" He asked as I got into the bed.

"I'm kind of hoping for exhaustion to set in." He pulled the sheets up and I smiled.

"It's good to have you back. I miss you when you stay at Scott'." Stiles said making me nervous. He leaned down and kissed my forehead before turning the lamp off.

"Goodnight Maggie." Stiles pulled the door shut and I listened for him to shut his own door. I looked around the room and saw the picture I had thrown in anger in a new frame and sitting proudly on the dresser. I smiled at it and let out a heavy breath.

"Get it together, Stevens. You are stronger than this. Breathe." I said to myself trying to soothe my anxiety. I thought about the awful skating rink trip and what Stiles might have been saying before Lydia freaked out but then I started thinking about my dad. I cleared my head and looked over at the picture again. I sat up in the bed and paced the floor. How was I going to keep everyone safe without battling with Derek? How was I going to keep from having to choose. I opened the door and crept towards Stiles room before opening the door. He was lying in bed but sat up when I opened the door.

"Are you okay?" He asked and I stood awkwardly in the door. He reached over and put pajama bottoms on before walking over to me.

"Can...can I just..." I looked at my bare feet and Stiles reached out pulling my hand. He shut the door behind me and gestured to the bed.

"I know you're locking out the wolfy powers but I'm just going to say that my heart is beating this fast because it's been a pretty long time since I had a sleepover with a female and I'm pretty sure the last girl to sleep over was you so...don't judge me." Stiles said as I slid into his bed.

"I promise not to try and cop a feel...or put make up on your face." I said remembering the last sleepover we had together and Scott talked me into giving Stiles a makeover.

"Thanks I appreciate that. Not that I'd be against the whole coping a feel thing. I'm all about feels being copped-" I put my hand up.

"Stiles...shut up." I said and he got into the bed next to me. He turned on his side and I turned to face him.

"I just want to be close to you tonight. You don't have to spoon me or anything." I laughed taking his hand and lacing our fingers together.

"I'm right here Maggie. I'm not going anywhere." Stiles whispered in the darkness. I closed my eyes and let the stress leave my body as Stiles pushed my hair off my face. I listened for his breathing to change and when it finally slowed down, I opened my eyes. I took my free hand and rested it on his head, whispering the healing spell and watching the goose egg disappear. I let my hand linger on Stiles face watching him sleep and suddenly all the things I was worrying about in the other room didn't matter. If I only had little moments like these to get me by then I was going to savor every single one.


	4. Sink Or Swim

**[Maggie's POV]**

_I felt warm arms wrapped around my stomach and something hot and wet running along my neck. I blinked my eyes open and tilted my head back moaning slightly._

_"Stiles?" I whispered more for confirmation then anything._

_"I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. You just taste so good." He suckled my neck up to the back of my ear and I reached back to grip the back of his head. I knew I had fallen asleep in Stiles bed but this felt entirely too real to be a dream. His hands started to roam under my shirt and my skin burned as I turned towards him in the bed to grip his face and find his lips. He kissed like he'd been preparing his whole life for this moment. Every part of my body was sensitive to his touch and I tried not to moan too loudly knowing the Sheriff was merely a few doors down. His kisses were nothing like Isaac's had been in my dream the other night. These seemed more in the moment and unplanned, sloppy and feverish in the best way._

_"God why haven't we been doing this for months?!" Stiles asked gripping my hips roughly and pulling me on top of him. My body was flush against his and I tugged on his bottom lip with my teeth as we kissed. This time he groaned into my mouth, thrusting his hips into mine._

_"W-we shouldn't be doing this." I said putting my arms down to push myself up but Stiles rolled us over so that he was on top of me._

_"You're probably right but it feels too good to stop." He ground his hips down into mine and I gasped at the sensation._

_"Stiles!" I gripped the back of his head as he kept moving his hips, dry humping me until I finally couldn't hold back a loud moan that startled me._

My eyes shot open and I was covered in a cold sweat, breathing heavy. The room was still dark and the clock next to the bed read 4 AM. I tried to roll over but there as an arm draped over my side. I let out a sigh before rubbing my head.

"I've gotta stop eating so late." I whispered in the dark trying to adjust away from Stiles sleeping body. I had a dull pain in hip and reached back to rub it but Stiles groaned. I looked down and realized what I had just put my hand on instantly becoming mortified. The thing pressing into my hip with alarming strength was Stiles boner. How I would look him in the face tomorrow was beyond me. I could barely breathe from silently freaking out and mouthing oh my god repeatedly. I prayed that Stiles wouldn't wake up and after lying rigid for a few moments I turned to look at his face. He was drooling on his pillow and shifted onto his stomach. I slid out from under his arm and quietly got out of his bed keeping my eyes on him the whole time to make sure he didn't wake up. I backed out into the hallway and leaned against the door.

"Wet dreams and boner bruises, really? One awkward thing a day is plenty." I said aloud hearing letting out a breath. I opened my eyes to see the Sheriff rubbing sleep out of his eyes.

"I was just-" He put his hands up to cut me off.

"Honestly, I'm gonna chalk this up to my one awkward moment a day. Goodnight." He waved me off as he went back in his room. I could feel how hot my face was as I walked back into my room and laid down. I had no idea why I was suddenly having crazy dreams like this. First it was Isaac and now Stiles. The first time around the dream turned into a nightmare and Isaac ended up being bitten. Maybe I was psychic too. I hated that I had no one to talk to about my abilities and just how far they extended. I figured calling Deaton would be my best bet but the only number I had was for the animal hospital. I knew Scott would have it so I gave him a call. The phone rang 3 times before I heard him clear his throat.

"Maggie?! Is everything okay?" Scott was panicked.

"Everything is fine, sorry I'm calling so late...or early depending on how you look at it. I needed to get Deaton's cell from you." I said hearing him sigh.

"If everything is fine then why do you need his personal number? Do you need me to come over?" Scott asked sounding like he was relaxed a bit.

"No please don't come over, I just had a question." I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Is Stiles up?" Scott asked making me narrow my eyes at the window unsure of how to respond.

"That's a loaded question...oh my god- nevermind." I closed my eyes and jumped out of the bed. What the hell was I thinking?

"Maggie, either you tell me what's going on or I'm going to come over there. Don't make me call and wake Stiles up." Scott threatened.

"I just...I had another dream." I admitted instantly hating myself.

"About Isaac?" Scott inquired but I went silent for a minute.

"Mags?" He pulled me from my thoughts and I knew I had to tell him.

"Stiles, it was about Stiles." I confessed.

"What happened in the dream? Did he get killed like in your Isaac dream?" Scott asked sounding more awake.

"No it wasn't that kind of dream but I might have woken up before that could happen and I don't want anything to happen to Stiles." I explained sitting Indian style on the comforter.

"Well what woke you up?" Scott asked confused.

"Just...it was...I had a pain in my side." I lied and I heard Scott laugh.

"Wait a second, what kind of dream DID you have?" I had no words to come back with and Scott was clearly laughing on the other end of the phone.

"Did you have sex dream about Stiles?!" He chuckled and I could practically see his stupid face grinning through the phone.

"Wow that's...this is so worth a 4AM phone call. Things must have been pretty crazy if it woke you up...unless he finished that quick." Scott continued to tease me and I just shook my head.

"Are you done?" I asked but he giggled.

"Was the pain in your side a boner because Allison hates that." I huffed and Scott cackled once again.

"Oh my god he totally had a boner! Stiles totally touched you with his boner! Are you sure it was a boner? Maybe it wasn't."

"I reached down to see what it was and he groaned so-" I was cut off by a guttural laugh on the other end of the phone.

"You can't just go mindlessly grabbing a guy's boner, Mags! Especially when he's not conscious. This is...seriously the best phone call I've ever received." Scott sounded like a little girl as he giggled and snorted into the phone."

"I literally have the ability to give you permanent jock itch via magic so laugh it up chuckles. I'm just trying to make sure Stiles doesn't get bitten or killed so a bit of seriousness would be appreciated." I was sour at this point and his laughs died down.

"I'm sorry, really I am. I'll be serious, I promise. I'll text him letting him know you need to swing by in the morning, is that good?" Scott asked finally taking this seriously.

"Thank you, I would appreciate that. I'll talk to you tomorrow." I said relaxing against the wall.

"Before you go, is your side okay?" I could tell he was holding in a laugh.

"I'm mentally giving you the finger right now, McCall." I said with disdain. He burst out laughing and I hung up on him. Tomorrow I would go talk to Deaton about my weird dreams and try not to be completely mortified while I avoid Stiles. I was still worried these intimate dreams were signs of bad things on the horizon but after what happened in Stiles bed, I don't think I'd be able to watch over him up close and personal. I'd have to find a way to watch his back and stay away from him at the same time.

I got up early and Scott picked me to take me to the animal hospital but not before I had to put him in a headlock to keep him from joking about what happened last night. Deaton looked a bit concerned when we walked in and flipped the closed sign.

"Scott tells me you were tied up last night and didn't have a chance to look into the creature that killed one of Argent's men." Deaton said and I cut my eyes at Scott.

"Okay before he starts his giggle fits I'm just going to lay it out on the table." Scott snorted and I pointed a warning finger at him.

"Before the police found out about Isaac's father and Derek turned him, I had a dream about him. It was kind of an intimate dream but it turned into a nightmare and it was like I knew something was going to happen to him. Last night I had another dream but this time it was about Stiles. I woke up before the nightmare could kick into effect so I guess what I really want to know is do my dreams predict attacks? I mean Isaac's life is ruined now and his dad was clearly killed by whatever it was that attacked the Argent's guy. What if Stiles is in danger?" I kind of spilled my guts and Scott actually seemed to take it seriously now.

"First of all, you need to calm down. I understand your fears considering you aren't completely familiar with your new abilities but you were already able to latch before. These dreams are simply your subconscious and your abilities opening your eyes. You can latch to the past but you cannot go forward." Deaton explained making me shake my head.

"But how do you explain what happened with Derek and Isaac?" I asked still not convinced.

"Perhaps that's just the connection you have with Derek. He is an alpha now and he's your blood. Maybe you feared for Isaac, it could be any number of things but I can assure you that you cannot see into the future so any dream you had about Mr. Stilinski was probably just-" Scott interrupted.

"A sexy time dream." He wiggled his eyebrows and I slapped his chest with the back of my hand.

"You're also a teenage girl who bounces around a lot as far as your home situation is concerned. I'm sure the strange dreams will stop once you've settled in someplace." Deaton put his hand on my shoulder before he pulled out a folder and placed it on the operating table.

"Now, we need to get you studied up on what this creature might be so you can check your books. Whatever it is, it's main function is to kill." Deaton pulled out the pictures of the man that was on the table last night and started running down what we were dealing with. Scott also explained what happened the night of the full moon with Allison in Isaac's house. Deaton also wanted to talk about how I needed to stay clear of the Argent's now that Gerard was in town. All I could think of was my mom. I knew that we were going to be spending a lot of time working on this and I couldn't help but think of how much easier it would be if I still had Caroline, Evie and Karen helping me and my mom reminding me that it would be okay. I didn't know why I was suddenly feeling like I was worthless without them but I knew I had to overcome it to protect everyone.

**[Stiles POV]**

_I had rolled over while sleeping and draped my arm over Maggie's hips. I opened my eyes to check on her and was met with the pale skin of her neck and shoulder just inches from my face. I let my chin rest on her shoulder for a moment to test how asleep she was. She didn't seem to budge so I took a deep breath in taking in her soft smell. I let my bottom lip graze her skin and became insanely curious as to how her skin tasted. I pulled back knowing that was the creepiest thing ever but I couldn't help it. You know that smell when you've taken a good shower and your skin is soft to the touch and the scent of the soap is still very present on the surface? That's what she smelled like. That and some sort of vanilla body spray she only used before she went to bed every night. I continued to stare at her exposed skin and she shifted sideways a bit, giving me a perfect view of her cleavage. I felt like such a creep but the urge to touch her skin was becoming pretty overwhelming. I leaned into Maggie again and let my lips touch her shoulder with a gentle kiss. I started to trail more kisses up her shoulder towards her neck and wrapped my arm around her to bring her closer to me._

_"Mmm." She made a simple noise and it sparked me to turn my kisses into something a bit more intense. I started to suck on the skin of her neck and she reached back to palm my head._

_"Stiles...don't stop." She moaned so desperately that I felt myself go hard against her back. She used her free hand to reach for the one I had around her waist and moved it to her breast. This time I was the one who let out a noise of desperation._

_"Is this really happening?" I whispered in disbelief. Maggie reached back to grab a hold of my hip and started to grind herself into me. I don't think I've ever been so aroused in my entire life. Without warning, Maggie turned over to face me and grabbed my face. Her lips tasted fresh and minty and I could only assume it was lingering from when she brushed her teeth after her shower but it made my lips tingle. I wrapped my arms around her tightly and pulled her onto my chest. She ran her hands down my shirt and quickly shoved them underneath to touch my skin. It gave me sudden chills and I jumped. She pulled away and looked at me with dazed eyes._

_"S-should we stop?" I asked curious as to why she suddenly stopped but she sat up and swung her leg over my hip straddling me. She ran her fingernails up my stomach, pulling my shirt up with it and peeling it off my body._

_"Do you have any idea how long I've wanted to do this with you?" She said swiveling her hips into my hard on, rubbing and squeezing my thighs and making me jump. She leaned down and started sucking sloppy hickies into my neck that led down my chest but she looked up at me as she moved lower. She met my eyes and she must have heard the voice screaming YES in my head as she liked down my stomach to the small trail of hair I had that led down into my pajama pants. I gripped the sheets when she started to push her tongue lower._

_"H-holy sh-" I suddenly got the feeling like I was falling._

I hit the floor and jumped to my feet quickly, throwing my arms around to try and recover from a really embarrassing fall but I realized there was no one else in my room. The sheets on the bed were rumpled and the front of my pajamas were wet but luckily I hadn't been lying face down. I started to panic thinking maybe my dream had taken on a life of it's own and scared Maggie out of the bed. My stomach actually ached and I knew I would need to shower as soon as possible. I crept out in the hallway to see Maggie's door was shut. I opened it slightly and saw that she was sleeping clutching her phone. I pulled the door shut and jumped when I saw my dad coming out of the bathroom.

"Hey- hey I was just checking-" He put his hand up.

"I honestly don't want another one of these awkward hallway moments with either of you. Whatever it is, I don't want to know." He was already in his uniform and I shook my head moving back to my room.

"Stiles."

"Yeah?" I turned back to him and he eyed me.

"Go take a shower, preferably a cold one and quit creeping around outside her door." He said and I felt my neck flush before saluting him awkwardly and ducking into my room. I grabbed a change of clothes and headed into the shower. What the hell did dad mean by he didn't want another awkward moment with either of us? Had Maggie really bailed because I was caught in a wet dream? Oh my God, what if I like messed with her in her sleep? Great, now she's going to think I'm a pervert or something. I had never had a dream like that about Maggie before. Lydia was usually the star of those dreams and on occasion the super hot lady that used to work at the library near the station but this was the first time I'd ever had a dream that graphic about her. It seemed a bit off that I would have those kinds of dreams about her when all we'd done is kiss a few times, most occurring under stress induced situations. I knew my feelings for Lydia would just disappear overnight but I also never picture my feelings for Maggie to be intensified overnight either.

I don't know how long I spent in the shower but by the time I got out, I had fully intended on apologizing to Maggie. However I quickly discovered the note that she left on my door saying she would be at the animal hospital for most of the day with Scott and Deaton. If that wasn't a blatant sign that she was avoiding me, her forwarding my calls definitely did the trick. I moped around the house most of the day before I headed over to the shop to check on the status of my jeep. When I got there though the guy had it hoisted in the air.

"HEY! What are you doing? All I needed was a starter!" I said throwing my arms out.

"Yeah but it looks like your whole exhaust system needs to be replaced." He didn't even look at me as he continued tearing into it.

"Why do I get the feeling you're slightly overestimating the damage? I questioned.

"It'll probably run you like...1200 parts and labor." He jacked the price up and I felt like I wanted to puke.

"This thing doesn't even have a catalytic converter in it and yes I know what a catalytic converter is." I threw my hands up mocking him.

"Do you know what a limited subdifferential is?" He finally looked over at me as my phone started to ring. I saw it was Maggie and decided to let the mechanic win this round.

"Just...finish." I walked away from him and answer my phone.

"Hey, I was starting to think you were avoiding me." I said trying not to sound annoyed.

"Avoiding you? Why would I be avoiding you?" Maggie chuckled.

"I don't know, I woke up this morning and you were back in your room so I figured maybe-" She cut me off.

"I just figured it would be best if I got back in my room before your dad woke up." She explained and I felt a bit relieved.

"I guess you have a good point. How's the research going?" I asked walking away from the noise.

"So far we have no idea what the thing is but I'll probably go through some of my books tonight. How are things going with the jeep?" She asked curiously.

"This guy is pretty much cutting into her like a turkey and overpricing things but what can I do other than sit here and stew with impotent rage?" I walked back towards the waiting area and opened the door.

"Oh...nice. That's real sanitary, quality establishment you're running here." I yelled over my shoulder as I walked into the room.

"What's wrong?" Maggie ask as I wiped my hand off.

"I just put my hand in something that resembles something no guy should ever put his hand in without warning." I cringed.

"I probably don't want you to elaborate on that." I could hear the smile on Maggie's face and I tried to push the negative thoughts out of my head about last night. I suddenly felt my hands start to tingle.

"You aren't dry heaving are you?" I took the phone away from my ear and put it on speakerphone.

"I...I can't..." I started losing feeling in my hands and dropped my phone.

"Stiles? Is everything okay?" Maggie was confused and I could hear Scott speak up in the background. I looked out at the shop and saw a reptile like hand with sharp claws swing down from the jeep.

"Ey...H-hey! HEY!" I kept trying to force words of warning out but the thing had already cut him on the back of his neck sending him to the ground quickly.

"Stiles, what's going on? Are you okay?" Maggie's voice was now concerned and my legs gave out.

"I-t's..it's here. I...can't." I started to crawl closer to my phone and I saw the lizard cut the line on the brake fluid of the lift the jeep was sitting on.

"I c-can't move." I watched the lift lowering quickly and the guy was pleading for help.

"Stiles we're on the way! Just keep talking to me." Maggie was frantic.

"It's g-gonna crush him." I started to hyperventilate and I could hear Maggie and Scott talking.

"Hang on Stiles." Maggie kept trying to reassure me but I closed my eyes tightly so I didn't have to see the guy getting crushed. I tried to breathe through the panic I was feeling not being able to move my body but the lizard thing popped up around the corner and startled me with it's screech of a scream.

"STILES!" My finger hit the end call button on accident. I looked into the yellow eyes of the unknown monster and felt like I knew who it was, like a friend in a mask. The thing disappeared and a few moments later the door to the shop opened.

"STILES!? Oh god-" It was Maggie. She looked over at the mechanic before seeing me and ran towards me.

"Are you okay? What's going on?" She asked putting her hand on my neck.

"I'm paralyzed. That freaking thing...it's not safe. Where's Scott?" I asked as she flipped me onto my back.

"He saw the thing run off as we pulled up. He's trying to track it." Maggie was looking me over and I closed my eyes tightly.

"Are you in pain?" She asked leaning over me. I opened my eyes and looked at her.

"I couldn't save him. I had to...I had to watch." Maggie put her hand on my face but I couldn't feel it.

"It's not your fault." I looked up at her and Scott ran in.

"I lost it. Is he okay?" Scott was winded.

"He can't move. Deaton was right, whatever is in it's claws is some sort of paralytic." Maggie said still looking me over.

"Can you heal him? Maybe he'll be able to move if you heal him?" Scott suggested and Maggie bit her lip and took my hand into hers. She closed her eyes and started mumbling something I couldn't quite make out. I started to gain feeling back in my hand and it ran up my arm traveling over my body.

"I can feel you. It's working." I said moving my arms around. Scott helped me sit up and before long he was hoisting me to my feet.

"We've got to call 911. There's no saving that guy." Scott looked over his shoulder and Maggie put her hand on my arm.

"I'll call but you should probably get out of here." I said picking up my phone.

"I'm not leaving you, Stiles." I looked over at Maggie who squeezed my arm and I nodded at her.

"I told Allison I would meet up with her. Let me run there and update her and I'll be back." Scott gave me a look before he took off. I called my dad and let him know what happened and he sent the entire station practically to the garage. Maggie hadn't left my side the entire time my dad questioned me and it felt nice to have her there holding onto my hand.

"I told you, I walked in and saw the jeep on top of the guy, that's all." I explained for what seemed like the millionth time.

"What's wrong with your hand?" He asked curious as to why Maggie kept rubbing it.

"Nothing, can I just get out of here now?" Maggie didn't let go of my hand even when I tried to pull away. She just kept rubbing the palm of it with her fingertips and used her other hand to squeeze the top. It was just weird to have feeling back in it so I'd fidget or cringe when it started to feel the least bit off.

"What about you? What did you see?" He looked over at Maggie.

"Stiles walked in ahead of me and once he saw he came running out to stop me from going in. I honestly didn't see anything." She said giving my hand a squeeze.

"Look if there's something you feel like you can't tell me-" I cut my dad off.

"You think I'm lying?" I questioned feeling Maggie tense.

"No of course not. I'm just worried about you. If you saw someone do this and you're afraid that they're going to come back and make sure you guys don't say anything about it, you can tell me. You know I wouldn't let anything happen to either of you." I felt bad that I couldn't talk to my dad about things. I felt like I was pulling away from him more and more since Maggie's release.

"I didn't see anything, at all. Can I go now please?" I asked again seeing his defeated face.

"Yeah but not your jeep. We've got to impound it. Sorry kid, evidence. I'll see you two at home." Dad patted me on the back and I shook my head.

"That's great. Just great, can you at least make sure they wash it?" I called out but Dad was already back over talking to the others. Maggie stood up in front of me and I could feel her trying to figure out what was going on in my head.

"Scott just texted. He'll be here in a few minutes to pick us up. He said he would hang out for a bit while I run out." She said making me look up.

"Where are you going?" She bit her lip and I didn't need her to tell me.

"I need to warn Derek. I haven't heard from him in a few and I just want to give him a heads up on what's lurking around." She explained but I shook my head.

"He's a dick but he's still your family, you don't have to explain anything." I said rubbing my hand now that it was free of hers. Scott pulled up and Maggie jumped in the back as I slid into the passenger seat. The drive was pretty quiet and once we got to the house, Maggie looked back at me touching my face and I instantly remembered the dream I had making me pull away. She took a step back and frowned.

"I'm sorry, I'm just...everything just feels weird right now." She didn't have a clue that I meant everything including this morning but she nodded.

"I understand. We can talk about it tonight whenever you're ready." My eyes went wide and I looked at her.

"Actually I think I'm gonna go to bed early tonight. We can talk tomorrow or something." I brushed it off and she looked almost disappointed. She got in her car and took off towards Derek's leaving me and Scott at the house. I walked in and groaned before sitting down on the couch.

"You alright?" Scott asked me.

"You were right, it's not like you. It's eyes were almost like reptilian. I don't know, there was just something about him." I ran my hand down my face as Scott stared at me unsure of what to say.

"What do you mean?" He needed clarity.

"You know how when you see a friend in a Halloween mask but all you can actually see is there eyes so you feel like you know them but you just can't figure out who it is?" I questioned

"Are you saying you know who it is?" Scott seemed surprised.

"No but I think it knew me." I met Scott's gaze. We both knew this lizard thing was going to be the next giant wave of bullshit to crash all over our lives and we barely had time to surface after the Peter thing and Maggie dying.

"Thing's are going to get bad again, aren't they?" I looked over at Scott knowing he was just as worried as I was.

"We'll figure it out like we always do." Scott clapped me on the back but I wasn't very reassured. Something about that thing gave me the vibes that this was only the beginning.

**[Derek's POV]**

We had been training all day. Boyd was sitting out as he adjusted to his changes but it seemed Isaac and Erica hadn't expanded from the same few moves to try and overpower me and nothing was working. I felt like they weren't learning anything at all. They'd run at me and the moment they pounced, I'd put them down. Same damn thing every damn time. I had to have put them down over 100 times before I got fed up.

"Does anyone want to try not being completely predictable?" I started to walk away but I heard feet shuffling behind me. Once I turned around, Erica was on me trying to pull my lips off with her teeth practically. I actually gave in for a moment, surprised at her advance but I caught a scent almost immediately.

"Wow I hope you guys skipped out on this part of your training." Maggie was descended the steps where Boyd sat.

"What are you doing here?" I asked breathless.

"I figured I would check up on you but I can see now that you're doing just fine." Maggie gestured with her eyes and I tossed Erica to the ground roughly.

"Don't ever do that again." I warned wiping her spit from my lip. Maggie rolled her eyes so hard I could practically hear them move around in her skull.

"Why because I'm a beta?" Erica was bitter.

"Probably because your underage and it's extremely unprofessional." Maggie chimed in once more earning a glare from Erica.

"I don't need you here giving me advice on how to train my pack, especially since you've been so absent." I pointed out knowing she had been avoiding most of my calls.

"You know why I've been absent. Don't act like I abandon you." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Unless you have something useful about the creature, you should probably just go." She seemed stunned but she quickly flew down the steps at me wiping the frown from her face.

"I was coming to warn you about the thing that's currently terrorizing Beacon Hills, now that you've finished biting kids." She yelled.

"Oh so now you want to help?" I probed.

"Help to keep my friends from getting killed? Yeah you can say I'm here to help." Maggie reminded me so much of Laura when she argued with me.

"Stop babying them! You act like this is some burden I've placed on them at gunpoint! They had a choice, they knew the risks and now they're pack. I'm going to protect them." I yelled as she cocked her hip out.

"From what? Huh? Do you know what this random lizard creature is that can apparently paralyze you." She questioned. Something about her seemed off. She seemed unaware of all the things around her, less tense.

"It went after Stiles tonight." She added.

"Is he alright?" Boyd asked getting up.

"He's shaken up but he's alright. The thing killed the mechanic that was working on his jeep." She explained.

"Why would it kill the mechanic and not Stiles?" Isaac spoke up from the floor.

"I have no idea but it's already taken out one of Argent's men, your father and now a mechanic." Maggie shook her head as I sized her up.

"It doesn't seem like it has a pattern at all. I mean clearly we hate anything Argent and Isaac's father was an asshole but why the mechanic?" Erica pushed her hair out of her face.

"Enough!" The four of them looked at me puzzled.

"This creature is important and we will figure out what and who it is but right now we need to focus on the Argent's." I said firmly.

"Derek, they're not the priority." Maggie said infuriating me.

"THEY KILLED OUR ENTIRE FAMILY, HOW ARE THEY NOT THE PRIORITY?!" I yelled making the others coward slightly but Maggie stayed strong.

"No one understands that pain like I do but this thing is killing for the simple need to kill. We can handle the Argent's when it's time but this is the thing that's currently trying to make Beacon Hills a blood bath." Maggie tried to get her point across.

"Um if you guys are going to argue, can we at least be done for the night? I've got about 100 bones that need healing." Isaac spoke from the floor and I leaned down taking his wrist into my hands and snapping it.

"DEREK!" Maggie yelled as I held Isaac by his wrist.

"Do you think I'm teaching you how to fight? HUH?!" I raised my voice.

"Derek! Let him go!" Maggie's voice shook.

"LOOK AT ME! I'M TEACHING YOU HOW TO SURVIVE." Maggie put her hand on my shoulder and I let Isaac go turning on her.

"AND YOU! YOU'RE MUZZLING YOUR WOLF WHEN IT'LL PROBABLY BE THE ONLY THING THAT SAVES YOUR LIFE THIS TIME!" I screamed in her face making her eyes blink rapidly.

"How did you-" She looked surprised that I figured it out.

"You're hiding your scent which means you're pushing your wolf into a cage. That'll get you killed Maggie." I pointed at her and she slapped my finger away.

"You're down here making out and snapping wrists and chalk it up to teaching survival?! They could have done all those things as humans so don't get in my face about protecting myself when you're hiding behind a vendetta." She shoved me but I grabbed her wrists. Boyd jumped forward and I cut my eyes at him reminding him who his alpha was.

"You want to pretend like we aren't at war right now that's fine but don't come in here and try to contradict what I'm doing with my betas. The Argent's will come for us and sooner or later you'll realize that your little Scooby Doo troop is not only just clueless but defenseless. I'm protecting my pack, it's time you wrapped your head around the concept." I seethed in her face before letting her wrists go. She backed away from me holding a distant look in her eyes like she didn't recognize me. She turned and looked at Boyd who had stood back away from us after my glare.

"I'm so sorry, please be careful." She said exchanging looks with the three of them before looking back at me. She didn't say anything else as she walked back up the stairs. I listened to her start the car and pull away from the station without a single skip in her heartbeat or sound of fear.

"If they wanted us dead then why haven't they come for us yet? What are they waiting for?" Isaac's wrist snapped back into place and he looked up at me pissed.

"I don't know but they're planning something." I said turning around.

"Derek, maybe she's right. Maybe we should go after this thing before more people start getting killed. What if they think it's us tearing people apart?" Boyd challenged making me turn around.

"We're going to go after it but until we can figure out what exactly it is, you three have to learn everything you can as fast as I can teach you." I walked into the rail car to try and escape the headache they were currently giving me with their questions. I laid down on the rickety cot that was set up away from the rest of the train and shook my head trying to get rid of the image of Maggie's eyes staring at me. It wasn't a look of shock or anger that was on her face. It was disappointment.

**[Maggie's POV]**

I could barely sleep last night after what happened with Derek. Stiles had pretty much avoided me the moment I walked into the house and I had to take off early for some stupid guidance meeting that the Sheriff insisted I go to. I had avoided the first few but it would appear that Ms. Morrell was itching at the bit to shrink my head. I sat in a chair waiting for her to open the door and another kid was sitting next to me.

"Aren't you that girl who like died over break?" He finally spoke.

"Do I look dead to you?" I didn't even look up at him when I responded but he pushed some of my hair out of my face.

"Yeah a little." I swatted his hand away and turned my body away from his.

"Insomnia is a real bitch. It helps to just clear your mind before you go to bed. Unless it's not your mind that needs to be cleared. Sometimes your conscience can keep you awake too. Done anything you feel guilty about lately?" The boy probed making me look at him. His eyes looked familiar but I knew I'd never seen him before.

"Look creeper, I'm really not in the mood for this today so if you could talk to the voices in your head for a few minutes, I would greatly appreciate it." I snapped making the kid smirk. As if this week wasn't going swell already, Lydia walked in and froze when she saw me.

"Oh fantastic." Lydia plopped down in the seat next to me and groaned.

"Nice gloves." The kid next to me spoke again.

"Thank you." Lydia smiled falsely at the kid and I laughed.

"I suppose you think it's funny I'm wearing gloves?" She cut her eyes at me.

"No I'm just glad that he's bothering you now and not me." I admitted.

"Because I'm sure you're a ray of sunshine." Lydia replied.

"It sure is nice to see you two getting along so famously." This time we both looked over at the kid like he was out of his mind. Ms. Morrell finally opened the door and called me in. I got up quickly and walked into her office, shutting the door behind me.

"Have a seat." She gestured to the chair and I shook my head.

"I actually don't want to be late for my next class. I only came by to see what it is you felt the need to go to the Sheriff about. I'm pretty sure I can make my own decisions regarding my mental health." I stood in front of her desk.

"It's been over a week Maggie, why haven't you come to see me for our session?" She asked folding her hands on her desk.

"Would you believe I'm incredibly well adjusted?" She smirked but was clearly not buying it.

"Your uncle was was killed, along with your aunt and unborn child. You, yourself had a brush with death. Those aren't things a 16 year old girl would adjust to in a weeks time." She was trying to dissect me but I didn't have time to scratch at wounds right now.

"I'm just keeping busy. I don't like to dwell on things I can't change. I'm here and I'm just trying to make the best of life. That's what Karen would want." I tried not to let my mind go there because I knew I would get upset and Ms. Morrell would smell blood in the water however when I looked at her face she seemed annoyed.

"You know Maggie, sometimes suffering is just suffering. It doesn't make your stronger or build character. It just hurts." She tilted her head to the side and I was a bit taken back by her dismal outlook.

"Wow…that's awkwardly pessimistic. Do you talk everyone off the ledge like this?" I joked but she remained serious.

"You can either hide from the suffering and hurt in silence or you can face it, learn from it and use it." She looked me in the eyes as if she was searching for something.

"Use it how?"

"I'm sure you'll figure that out eventually." She went back to her paperwork and I backed away towards the door.

"I'll expect you back in here next week for a real session, Ms. Stevens. Please send Lydia in." She said before I walked out. I looked at Lydia slightly confused and she returned the look as I pointed to the door. She got up quickly and walked in as I headed out of the office. I wasn't sure if this week was throwing me a bunch of curve balls for a reason or if my not sleeping was starting to make me crazy. The way she kept looking and poking at me, it seemed as though she was trying to figure me out in not a guidance administrative way. I started down the hallway when I overheard Stiles voice.

"I'm sorry about the other night, I'm trying. We'll get through this, I know because I love you." My eyebrows went up hearing Stiles confess his love for someone. I came around the corner and saw it was him and Scott sitting on the steps.

"I love you more than-" I cleared my throat and they both looked at me.

"I feel as though I missed something...pretty big." I tucked my hands in my pockets and Stiles threw his hands up.

"I'm sorry but I can't do this. You and Allison have to find a better way to communicate." Now it made sense.

"Come on! You're the only one we can trust since Maggie..." Scott looked over at me.

"How oddly comfortable I currently am with being at odds with people." I smiled making Scott roll his eyes.

"Is she at least coming to the game?" Scott asked.

"Yes! Message complete. Now please tell me about your boss, did he figure out what that thing is?" Stiles asked and I leaned against the wall behind him.

"He thinks Allison's family keeps some sort of records of all the things they've hunted, like a book." He explained.

"He probably means a bestiary." Stiles clapped his hands together but Scott's face lit up with a smile. Stiles looked confused as to why he was laughing but I knew where Scott's mind was.

"I think you mean bestiality." Scott chuckled.

"Nope, I'm pretty sure I don't. It's like an encyclopedia of mythical creatures. Maggie's got one but it's too painful to read." I leaned on Stiles back and narrowed my eyes at Scott.

"What exactly were you and Allison up to while I was in a coma?" I questioned resting my chin on Stiles shoulder.

"How am I the only one who doesn't seem to know anything about this stuff?" Scott was upset now.

"It's okay, you're my best friend and you're a creature of the night so it's kind of my job to know these things and where I fall short, we've got our very own werewitch." Stiles patted the side of my head and I pinched his neck.

"I told you to stop calling me that." He swatted my hand and I pointed my finger at him again.

"I'm going to report back to Allison but we should really think about figuring out a way for you two to communicate." Stiles started to jog towards the doors. Scott and I walked down the hallway.

"You've been kind of quiet about how things went with Derek. Did he say he had any idea what it was?" I knew Scott just wanted to talk about Derek but I just shook my head.

"You know you can talk to me Mags." Scott bumped my arm as we walked to my locker.

"He's trying to train them but he's more worried about protecting me from the Argent's. He...grabbed me." Scott tensed.

"What?! He got aggressive with you? I'm going to kill him." Scott smacked the locker next to mine but I put my hand on his chest to calm him down.

"That's the last thing I need right now okay? I know it's going to come down to me choosing between him and you guys and I'm just not ready for that battle to begin." I explained seeing sympathy in Scott's eyes.

"Look, you know I don't like the idea of anyone getting rough with you but I'd never make you choose between us. I know how important having Derek in your life is. He's your blood. Stiles and I are just the family you know but we'd never ask that from you." Scott put his hand on my shoulder.

"Honestly, I don't think he'd feel the same way." I admitted just before Stiles ran up to us out of breath.

"She's seen her grandfather...with a book like that." He took a deep breath.

"That's good. Where does he keep it?" Scott asked and Stiles glared before taking off towards the doors again. I pulled out my bag and threw it over my shoulder. The book was in it and I wanted to try and do some reading before the game.

"All you could do was warn him. Is that why you look like you haven't slept?" He touched my face. I shrugged.

"That and the whole Stiles thing. By the way, did you say something to him? He's been kind of weird today." I said looking over at him.

"As opposed to every other day where he's completely-" Before Scott could even finish his sentence, Stiles threw himself against someone's locker, sweaty and sounding like he might die.

"She said...in...his...office." Stiles started to choke and I shook my head. I tossed Stiles an inhaler and walked outside to look for Alison. I saw her sitting at some tables and walked over pulling a piece of paper out of my bag. I put it on her notebook and she looked surprised to see me.

"Um...what is-"

"Stiles is going to have a stroke at this rate and I know your parents are extremely...aware of most things so there is a number you can add to your phone." Allison looked at the number.

"I can't-"

"It's Brittney Hunter's cell. She's in our French class. I explained to her that you were a lesbian and that your parent's weren't really accepting of that lifestyle. She let me clone the number so now the texts will go to Scott. She said she would totally back the story if questioned about it so I suggest you develop a code of communication." I turned around to walk away.

"Why would you do this for me? I mean, I thought you would enjoy the fact that Scott and I couldn't be close anymore." Allison shook her head confused and I turned back towards her.

"I didn't do it for you, I did it for Scott. You're the girl he loves and your parents would kill him if they found out you two were still together. I don't like the idea of him being that close to anything that could hurt him but I also know how hard it was for him to lose you the first time." I explained seeing her face fall slightly.

"I love him too you know." She looked me in the face and I nodded.

"Good because I'd hate for you to be risking his life for anything less." I started to walk away this time.

"Thank you!" She called out.

"Thank me by getting those keys." I didn't bother turning around as I walked inside and met with Scott and Stiles in the library.

"Here, take this phone. Don't send any lovey dovey texts. You can communicate with Allison with it." Scott's face lit up and he looked at the phone.

"How did you pull that off?" Stiles looked at the phone.

"I figured in that rare event that you make first line, it'd be nice for you not to be dead. It just so happens Brittney Hunter doesn't let my reputation scare her away. Phone is a clone of hers. I gave her a story and she said she'd back it." I explained.

"I've always liked Brittney Hunter. I'd run up and hug the life out of her but I'd probably vomit. I don't think I've run that hard in practice." Stiles rubbed his chest feeling the aftermath of pushing it .

"Don't puke on Brittney Hunter, she's clearly the best. Thank you Mags." Scott hugged me and started texting.

"I'm pretty sure we've just Beetlejuiced Brittney Hunter so maybe we should just silently praise her and move on now. I've got to meet with Coach about this whole assistant thing." Stiles looked disappointed.

"Why? I thought you liked going to the games." Stiles followed me to the Coach's office as Scott went into the locker room.

"I don't think I'll be able to concentrate on things. I mean-" I stopped talking when I saw Boyd and Erica arm in arm walking out to the field. She smirked at me and Stiles turned around.

"What are they doing here?" Stiles asked confused.

"I don't know but you should get changed. I'm going to find out what the deal is. If they're here, Derek will probably be lurking." I said and Stiles stopped me.

"Be careful." He said firmly unsure about letting me wander alone. I smiled at him and patted his chest.

"I'll see you out there." I reassured him before walking outside to catch up with Boyd and Erica but my phone started to ring. It was Derek's number. I hesitated before picking it up.

"If you're calling to yell at me again then you can save it. I got the point yesterday." I said ready to hear Derek bitch me out.

"I was actually calling to see if you were alright. Derek has been on edge lately and I just didn't want you to be upset." To my surprise, it was Isaac. I double checked the caller ID and made sure it was still Derek's number.

"Are you sure you should be talking to me, I mean Derek wouldn't approve I'm sure." I looked out the doors and saw the players gathering on the field.

"Yeah well I care about you so he'll have to understand that." I missed being able to talk to Isaac. I felt like I had to keep my distance if I wanted things to go smoothly for him and the others.

"I just want you to know that I'd never hurt you on purpose. I'm not lying when I say I care about you. Whatever happens, just know that." I heard the whistle of the game starting but I was focused on what Isaac was saying.

"What are you talking about? What's going to happen?" I questioned him raising my voice over the cheers from outside.

"I'm sorry Maggie." Isaac sighed before I heard the click.

"Isaac! Dammit." I slapped my hand on the wall and started to panic. I looked out the door and saw Stiles on the bench talking to the coach, Scott was on the field and Erica and Boyd were sitting in the bleachers. If Isaac was throwing around pre-mature apologies then Derek was going to do something. I sat down on the steps and pulled out the book. I let the pages cut my hand as I placed my hand over it.

"Scales like a snake, eyes as yellow as fiery embers, razors that make movement hard to remember, guide me to the creature that dismembers." I tried to remember all that Deaton and I talked about with Scott. He told me that all I had to do was focus and the book would guide me. Pages started to flip rapidly before it suddenly stopped. I read over the page with the word Kanima written on the top. The more I read the more concerned I got. I shut the book quickly and threw it in my bag taking off towards the field. I looked around just as Coach was sending Danny in. Erica and Boyd were gone and I caught Allison's gaze. She gestured her eyes to the field and I looked out to see Scott talking to Boyd who was now in uniform.

"Stevens, where the hell have you been? Boyd is kicking some serious abomination ass!" Coach clapped and screamed.

"He's not even on the team, what's he doing in?" I asked confused.

"Stilinski went missing so I had to put someone in. We were getting crushed, literally. Someone should check that kid for steroids...or dinosaur blood." Coach said. The only part I actually heard was that Stiles went missing. I ran back to the school and tried to listen for Stiles but instead I heard crying. Lydia screamed when she saw me and I ran over to her.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" I asked frantically.

"YES and it's all your fault." She said wiping her face with her gloves.

"What happened to your hands?" I asked kneeling down. She bit her lip and sniffled.

"Why do you even care? I thought you hated me." She didn't look at me.

"Someone I care about, cares about you and whether you believe it or not, I am truly sorry about what happened to you." Lydia looked over at me sizing me up.

"Stiles was here a few minutes ago and said he'd listen to me but I feel like everything in my life has gone off the deep end. You're the witch so you might understand." She said cleaning her face up but when I bit my lip she threw her hands up.

"But you don't care, you're looking for Stiles. Of course! Just go! He ran into the school, I'm going home." She reached for her belt and I grabbed her hand. She pulled away quickly.

"Lydia, you are important. People care about you." She let me touch her hands and I could feel the pain in one of them.

"Yeah just not enough to stick around or believe me." She rolled her eyes and I said the healing spell in my head.

"I'm sorry, I really have to go but you shouldn't hide your hands. Those gloves are a bit last season." I teased standing up. Her jaw dropped and she pulled the gloves off.

"These gloves are Pra-" She saw that her hands were fine and looked at me. I gave her a nod before running into the school.

"Stiles!" I called running through the halls. I heard a loud splash and ran for the pool. I pushed the door opened and saw Erica knocked out.

"Oh God." I ran over and put my hand on her face. The sound of someone surfaces and taking in air made me turn around.

"Derek? Stiles? What are you-"

"MAGGIE RUN!" I turned around to see the large creature I had read about earlier. I started to run for the door but my feet were swept out from under me. I heard the brutal sound of my head hitting the tiles and I suddenly became dazed.

**[Stiles POV]**

I tried to work quickly the moment Allison slipped me the keys but my head wasn't in it. First I don't see Maggie on the field and then I run into Lydia having a breakdown. What was wrong with her? Where was Maggie? I didn't even hear Erica creep up on me but I should have assumed she was doing Derek's bidding. The last place I thought I'd end up after being interrogated was saving Derek's heavy ass in the school pool. When we emerged, Maggie was kneeling by Erica. She turned around and looked at us.

"Derek? Stiles? What are you-" The lizard jumped off the wall and down behind Maggie.

"MAGGIE RUN!" I yelled trying to tread water. She looked at it and tried to take off but it used it's tail to sweep her legs out from under her. The sound of her head hitting the tiles made me cringe.

"Maggie! Maggie get up!" Derek yelled as the lizard moved towards the edge of the pool and reared back. Maggie rolled over and blinked slowly.

"Maggie! Come on, you've got to get up." I said kicking my legs hard to bob in the water high enough to see her crawling.

"Why isn't she healing?" I asked out loud and Derek huffed.

"She's been controlling her wolf. It's not healing because she's not acknowledging it." Derek spit out water as Maggie started to get up. She stumbled into the wall and pulled the life preserver off the wall and tossing it towards us.

"Get out of here!" Derek yelled but before Maggie could even move her feet the lizard knocked her with his tail again sending her into the pool.

"MAGGIE!" I yelled and Derek started to resist.

"Let me go and save her." Derek met my eyes and I nodded without questioning. He took a deep breath and I let him go. I dove down and saw blood in the water near Maggie's head. I pulled her from the bottom and kicked hard pulling her to the surface. She started coughing and reached for her head.

"What's going on?" She asked as I swam towards the preserver and looped her in it.

"I need you to hold yourself up for a second, okay? Okay?" I gripped her chin and she nodded. I took another deep breath before diving down and retrieving Derek. I seemed almost angry when I pulled him to the surface.

"What the hell-"

"Relax I got her but she's got a nasty bump on the back of her head." I said as she cringed.

"What the hell were you thinking? You should have run." Derek scolded.

"Forgive me for trying to save your ass." Maggie looked over at us.

"Like you could save anyone right now. You can't even heal yourself." Derek and Maggie kept bickering.

"What's the spell you use? The healing one?" I interrupted them and Maggie shook her head.

"I can't concentrate. Karen says if you can't focus it's too dangerous. I can't...I can't do it." She bit her lip.

"Great, do you see it anywhere?" Derek asked looking around.

"No, maybe it took off." I said a bit too soon because it screeched letting us know that it wasn't gone. The lizard circled the pool and Maggie kept groaning and drifting away from us.

"Come on Mags, I can't hold him up and keep you from floating over to Jake the snake over there. You've gotta work with me." I said trying to pull the preserver closer.

"Will you get me out of here before I drown." Derek complained.

"You're worried about drowning? Did you notice the thing out there with razor sharp teeth?" I was shocked. The big bad alpha was scared of drowning when there was a blood thirsty lizard snake stalking us.

"Did you notice that I'm paralyzed from the neck down in 8 feet of water?!" Derek raised his voice and Maggie spoke up.

"Don't yell at him! He's saving your life right now, try being a bit grateful." She kept her hand to her head.

"Grateful? You want to talk about being grateful?! I formed a pack for you, for us. So we could have a family that you could grow up with that wouldn't die so easily and what did you do? You threw it in my face like a child. The only thing that's going to get people killed is your irresponsibility." Derek yelled.

"She's just a kid! Alright! God she...she's been through hell and now she's got the weight of the world on her shoulders but you feel like she's not adapting quick enough?" I defended but Maggie shook her head.

"I don't need you to defend me Stiles." I looked at her confused. Why was I suddenly the bad guy.

"Derek's right, I need to learn to stand on my own and I can't do that if you're always protecting me. You've got to learn to let go." She said floating away from us. I reached for her and she put her bloody hand in the water making sure to paddle back towards us. I looked over at the thing and it eyed me.

"What is it waiting for?" I asked aloud.

"Why don't you go over there and ask it?" Derek gritted as the thing walked towards the water. It touched the surface of the water and jumped back as if it had been burned.

"Did you see that? I don't think it can swim." I said watching it back away and stick towards the wall.

"Maggie...MAGGIE! Keep your head up." Derek yelled making her head shoot up.

"It's too hard. I just want to lie down for a bit." She said trying to rest her head on the side of the preserver.

"She's definitely concussed. We need to get her out of here." I looked towards the side of the pool where my phone was. My whole body ached from trying to keep us both afloat and I knew all I needed was to get the phone and tell Scott what the deal was. I adjusted my arm and Derek started freaking out.

"No, no, no, no, no! Don't even think about it." He raised his voice.

"Can you just trust me this once?" I questioned him.

"NO! Just because Maggie trusts you doesn't mean I'm that stupid." I looked over at Derek offended.

"Have you noticed I'm the one that's keeping you alive?" I yelled back.

"Yeah well when the paralysis wears off, who's going to be able to fight that thing? You or me?" He questioned.

"You think that's why I've been holding you up for the past two hours? You think she's stupid for trusting me but she's the only reason I dove in to save your stubborn ass in the first place." I gritted.

"You don't trust me and I don't trust you but you need me to survive which is why you're not letting me go." Derek glared at me and it wasn't until we heard the whimper that we broke the death gaze.

"Stop it...please just...stop. You don't trust each other but I trust you both with my life. That's what love is, trust. It's what family is. I can't keep doing the tug of war between you guys. I'm already a mess. I need you both or I'm not going to survive this. I need...I need..." Maggie's eyes started to flutter and her head rolled.

"Maggie! Maggie wake up!" She wasn't responded. I looked at Derek once more and he didn't even get my name out of his mouth before I let him go and started to swim hard. The thing hissed at me as I grew closer and I stopped. I glanced back at Maggie who's blood was in the water. I went for the phone almost getting caught by the thing and started dialing Scott. It rang a few times as I swam back to Maggie patting her face.

"Come on Mags, wake up. Come on, stay with me. Open your eyes. MAGGIE!" I yelled just as Scott picked up.

"Scott!" I yelled only to get shut down and dial tone. I was shocked. I couldn't believe that ass hung up on me. I tossed the phone and dove down to retrieve Derek. When I pulled him back to the surface he took a deep breath in.

"Tell me you got him!" Derek groaned but when I didn't say anything he laughed at my defeat. I glanced over at Maggie and she mouthed a thank you.

"Talk to me Maggie, you've got to stay awake." I said as we continued to tread water.

"I don't want to talk. I want to sleep." She argued.

"Well tough. Tell me about what you saw when you were in your coma." I asked trying to think of something.

"Why the hell would you ask her that? That's just going to upset her." Derek hissed.

"I don't see you coming up with any bright ideas." I gritted out but before Derek could fight back Maggie spoke.

"I told them that I was afraid of being alone. Even after they told me how important I would be and how much power I would take on, the only thing that scared the hell out of me was being alone." We both looked at her.

"I told them that Scott would take care of you. I can see now I was mistaken on that." She chuckled and I swallowed hard.

"Right before Deaton did the spell to bring me back they said that I'd never be alone as long as I had you." She was looking at Derek now.

"They said you are my blood, my family and that you need me as much as I need you but last night...the look on your face when you...I'm living between homes right now with two single parents and the one time I was made feel like an unwanted burden, a true abomination, was by my own flesh and blood." Her voice cracked and Derek frowned at her.

Maggie let her head roll back and she started to chant something in a whisper repeatedly. Derek and I exchanged looks as she did this for what seemed like 10 minutes before my legs started to cramp up.

"I don't mean to interrupt your chanting but I can't stay up any longer. I've got to find something to grab onto." I said looking for the ladder. The closest thing I could find was the divers platform. I lifted Derek's arm and put it on the back of the preserver.

"I've got her, just swim." Derek said gripping it. I used all the energy I had left to swim towards it but when I missed it, Derek and I both sunk into the water. I was too exhausted to even panic. I saw Maggie's legs leave the water before two hands were in the water pulling Derek and I back up quickly. I was tossed next to Maggie who sat against the wall blinking slowly to see Scott growling at the lizard. The thing tackled Scott but he was quick to get on his feet. The lizard pulled the same foot move that he had on Maggie and tossed Scott into the mirror making the glass shatter.

"Reflection." Maggie whispered hoarsely.

"What?" I asked looking at her.

"Scott, the mirror, show it the reflection." She yelled and Scott picked up a piece of the mirror showing it to the lizard. The lizard tilted it's head awkwardly before screeching and crawling up the wall, breaking out of the roof window. We all let out a breath of relief and Derek seemed to be getting his body back.

"How did you know?" I asked Scott shaking my head.

"I heard Maggie calling for me." The both of us looked over at Maggie confused is to just how Maggie could communicate with Scott from far away.

**[Scott's POV]**

I showed Stiles the USB drive on his laptop and Maggie sat on the hood of the car with my jacket wrapped around her.

"This whole thing is in a different language, I mean if that's even a language." Stiles said as we scrolled through the pages.

"How are we supposed to find out what it is?" I asked out loud.

"It's called a Kanima and you wold have known sooner if she would snap out of it." Derek and Erica walked up on us and we glanced at Maggie.

"You knew the whole time what it was?" Stiles questioned.

"I didn't really get a chance with the whole concussion and all." Maggie said shrugging.

"When did you know?" I asked Derek.

"I knew once she said it would be confused by it's reflection. It doesn't know who or what it is." Derek explained.

"What else do you know since you've decided to be helpful." Stiles was irritated.

"All I know of it is stories, rumors." Derek dismissed.

"So it's like us?" I was completely lost as to where this thing could have come from.

"A shape-shifter, yes but it's not right. It's like..." Derek bit his bottom lip and Stiles sighed.

"An abomination." Derek and Stiles seemed to know something I didn't. Derek turned to walk away and I could see Maggie frowning so I stopped him.

"Derek, we need to work together on this. Maybe even tell the Argent's." I said seeing Maggie close her eyes tightly.

"You trust them?" Derek asked incredulously.

"No one trusts anyone, that's the problem. While we're here arguing about who's on what side, there is something out there that's bigger, stronger and faster than any of us and it's killing people. We need each other, Ma-Maggie needs you." All of us looked over at Maggie as she slid off the car.

"Erica, are you okay?" Our eyes went to a confused Erica.

"Y-yeah I'm fine." She said shaking it off and Maggie looked at her.

"Good. I'm ready to go." Maggie opened the door of my mom's car and shut it as Derek seethed.

"Come on man. We don't even know anything about it. You know I'm right." I pleaded with Derek but he shook his head.

"The only thing I know is that when I find it, I'm going to kill it." Derek and Erica walked away and Stiles looked at me. I had to pick my mom up from work in a few minutes so Stiles followed us over to go get Maggie checked out. Apparently she had cracked her head open and had been in and out of consciousness. Stiles said he would keep me posted as I walked down to pull the car around but when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around only to be run through with a blade.

"Don't move! Even though I can practically feel the tissue around the blade trying to heal, you never know with a beta." Gerard dug the blade in deeper and I had never felt so much pain.

"Besides, we'd lose this perfect family picture. The kind old grandfather embracing his favorite grandson after hearing good news from the doctor." Gerard leaned in hugging me but it only drove the knife in deeper.

"That's right, I can play the nice grandpa who likes to cook and tell stories. Trust me, I can do it far better than you can pretend to be average brokenhearted teenage boy. You try far too hard while your little friend doesn't even bother hiding what she is as if she's untouchable." He gritted before shaking the blade.

"Are you listening?" He asked making me focus.

"Yes." I managed to get out.

"Good, now you're going to do me a favor one of these days because if you don't then this knife will be in her." He looked over and I could see my mom in talking to someone.

"Scott, I truly believe it's better when bad things don't happen to good people. Don't you agree?" He shook the knife more.

"Yes!" I gritted. He pulled the knife out and walked away like it was no big deal. I held my hand over the wound feeling it heal painfully.

"Hey kiddo, you okay?" Mom asked approaching the car.

"Y-yeah I'm fine." I said trying to figure out what kind of favor Gerard could possibly want from me. He also just proved Derek to be right. I couldn't trust that the Argent's would be of any help to us. He clearly had a grudge against Maggie because of Kate and if he would walk up and stab me in public then he was even more dangerous than I had thought. I took a deep breath and tried to focus on what the hell I was going to do next.

**[Maggie's POV]**

Stiles and I got back to his house to find a note from the Sheriff saying he'd be home late. I got lost in my thoughts sitting on the couch but I could feel how tense Stiles was.

"You should probably take a shower…Hey, Maggie." I looked over at him and he looked me over.

"Sorry I was lost in my thoughts. I'm fine." I said simply not getting to my feet.

"Fine? Really? You got concussed by a giant lizard and spent hours in a pool with me and Derek talking out of your head. You're hardly fine." He chuckled as I stood up holding onto the back of the couch.

"I meant I feel fine. You don't have to worry about me." I brushed it off and he just looked away with frustration on his face. I walked over towards the stairs and stopped knowing I couldn't leave things like this.

"Stiles…what I said in the pool about pulling away so I can stand on my own, I didn't mean it as a way to upset you. You're always saving me and I love that about you but I've got to learn to be strong too." I explained but he looked at his hands.

"You're the strongest person I know, Maggie but I can't just stop trying to protect you. I care about you too much." He shook his head and looked at me sadly. We were both silent as I put my hand on the banister of the steps.

"I know you'll never believe it but you're a hero. At least you are to me. Thank you for saving me tonight." Stiles gave me a smile before I headed up the stairs to take a long, hot shower. It felt good to be warm again. I leaned my head against the wall of the shower thinking about everything I said. Derek probably hated me, Stiles probably thought I was on the ledge again and Scott...he was trying. You know things are shitty when you're thinking getting hunted by your own father is easier than what' going on currently. I spent a while in the shower before getting out in time to answer my phone. Derek's name flashed across the screen as I wrapped the towel around myself.

"Hey? Are you okay?" I asked worried.

"I think I should be asking you that. Erica said you were pretty out of it." It was Isaac. I was actually disappointed it wasn't Derek.

"I'm fine. How is she doing?" I asked sitting on the toilet seat.

"She's fine. Derek's the one pacing around but everything's alright here. Sorry I kind of hung up on you earlier." Isaac apologized.

"That was pretty rude but I'll forgive you...eventually." I teased.

"Let me make it up to you. I'd like to take you out. I mean technically you owe me from that one time and we're working on a plan to get me off the hook so I can go back to school." Isaac explained.

"Oh God, it's not going to involve killing anyone right?" I rubbed my temples.

"No of course not. I'll see you soon though okay? Try to stay out of harms way until then." Isaac said softly.

"Goodnight Isaac." I closed the phone and walked out of the bathroom. Stiles was standing there with his arms folded.

"Did you already shower?" I asked seeing he had changed.

"Yeah I used the downstairs bathroom. I just wanted to make sure you were good." He asked making me grip the towel tighter.

"As good as I'm going to be. You should get some sleep." I suggested standing in the door frame.

"Yeah you're probably right. Just wake me up if you need anything." Stiles moved to his door frame and I shook my head.

"Goodnight Stiles." I shut the door and he shut his. I changed and dried my hair as much as I could before lying down. Honestly, I was exhausted. My body was totally worn out, my head ached and my eye burned from being in a pool that long. Somehow I managed to fall asleep for a while. It was 2:30 AM when the beep of my phone startled me. IT was a simple text message and this time there was no mistaken who it was from.

**Derek:** _You aren't a burden_

I heard something shuffling around in the hallway and I decided to check it out. I opened the door and saw the Sheriff's door was closed which meant he was home. The shuffling was followed by muffled curses coming from behind Stiles door. I figured he woudl be sleeping by now but his light was still on. I tapped lightly before opening the door and keeping hand over my face.

"If you're doing something gross then cough twice." I said but he hissed.

"No no I'm...decent." He said making me move my hand. He was rubbing the tops of his legs.

"Are you okay?" I asked shutting the door behind me.

"Well...I mean..." Stiles started to play it off but he jumped up quickly and started walking around.

"What the hell? Are you in pain?" I asked walking over to him.

"It's my legs. The treading water thing for that long with a heavy werewolf has left me with charlie horses in my legs. The web said bananas and water but we don't have bananas and the last thing I want is more water. I thought the shower would help but it didn't." Stiles winced hitting his desk with his fist before biting it.

"Lay down." I said pushing him towards the bed. He looked like a deer caught in the headlights as he sat down.

"Why what are-oh God." I started to rub the knots out of his thighs and he gripped the sheets. He closed his eyes tightly and whimpered.

"Am I making it worse?" I asked judging by the way he was trying to breath.

"No...no no it's..." I kept rubbing and he licked his lips before gripping my hands.

"Okay you've got to stop." He pushed my hands away.

"Scott told you about my dream didn't he?" I said. His eyes went wide.

"That's why you get freaked out every time I touch you. Look it was just a dream. It's not like I was trying to molest you just now. I was trying to help." I got up and Stiles grabbed my arm stopping me.

"Wait what are you talking about? What dream?" He stood up confused and I felt my cheeks go red.

"I don't suppose I could just start talking in tongues and you could forget everything I just said." I looked up at him and he laughed.

"Did you...did you have a dream about me?" He asked with a smirk.

"It's not a big deal, I did sleep in your bed. Clearly you were in my head already." I tried to explain and Stiles cocked his eyebrow.

"What kind of dream was it?" He pressed and I shoved him.

"Is that why you were avoiding me the other day?" He asked confusing me.

"Avoiding you? You were avoiding me! You told me you were going to be early for crying out loud." I said as Stiles sat down on his bed.

"Either I'm overly exhausted or we're both crazy." Stiles put his head in his hands and rubbed his face. I sat down next to him.

"I think it's both but if you let me fix your legs then we both can get some sleep." He looked over at me and bit his lip. He lifted his elbows off his legs and let me say the healing spell. I could see the instant relief in his face as the pain subsided.

"I'm sorry about Derek. I can tell it's really hurting you and I hate that." He said genuinely. I shook my head and he held his hand out.

"He loves you, I can tell. It's just hard for him to trust anyone else to love you." I chuckled.

"Is that what he told you when I was in and out of consciousness?" I teased but he tightened his grip on my hand.

"No I just know how he feels." I looked over at Stiles and he smiled.

"Whatever you decide to do with your powers, whether it's to hide it or embrace it, we'll be here and we'll love you all the same." Stiles said tucking my hair behind my ear. I leaned my head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around me. The release I felt when Stiles and Scott hugged me reminded me why I'd never be able to let them go.

"Do you think you can go to bed now?" I sighed.

"As long as you aren't massaging my thighs I think I can." Stiles laughed as I stood up. I walked over to the door and he cleared his throat.

"Hey Maggie." I turned around as I opened the door.

"Yeah?" Stiles cheeks started to blush slightly making his face blotchy.

"You aren't the only one who had a dream that night and if we're being honest...I definitely enjoyed it." Stiles confessed making my throat go dry. I didn't know what to say to him so I just smiled and shut the door. I leaned against his door hearing him shift in his bed and click the light off. I walked across the hallway and got back into bed feeling the sleep that I had previously felt creep over me once again but this time I was able to smile. I wasn't sure if the dreams meant anything. I knew why I would have a dream like that about Stiles but just knowing that Stiles had one too and didn't mind it somehow made my mind rest easier after the shit day. Tomorrow, the search for the Kanima would truly start and where I ended up in all of it was the last thing I wanted to think about.


	5. You Can't Choose Your Family

**[Derek's POV]**

Training continued for Isaac, Erica and Boyd for another week. They were getting slightly better but not by much. I knew they wouldn't be ready by the full moon but I didn't have many options. Maggie never replied to the text I had sent her so I figured she needed some space. I sat in the car waiting to pick Boyd up when I spotted her sitting at a picnic table I used to sit at when I was attending Beacon Hills High. She looked tired and worn out as flipped through the pages of whatever book she was reading. I had stopped by a few times a day to check on her, listen for her heartbeat, make sure she was safe and being looked out for. Boyd jumped in the passenger seat and huffed as I continued to watch her.

"Her uncle came back in town. Apparently the movers sent a bill notice that if they didn't pay for the storage then all the stuff that was already packed will get sold off. She's been trying to think of ways to put three grand together." He explained.

"She should have just come to me." I put the car in drive.

"Because you seem so open and inviting all the sudden." I glared at Boyd who shrugged. I dropped Boyd off at the rail car and headed over to the bank withdrawing some cash and taking some time to set up an account for Maggie. The bank told me I could only set up the account if it was for a family member and it got me thinking. I got some paper work drawn up and dropped it in the mailbox of the Stilinski house only to have Stiles open the door quickly.

"Can I help you?" He snapped.

"Just leaving mail for Maggie. She's staying here tonight isn't she? Every two days she switches." I said making Stiles cock his eyebrow.

"What are you stalking our houses now?" He asked retrieving the mail.

"She's my responsibility. I have a right to know where she is." I stated as he looked at the envelope and back at me with wide eyes.

"Child services? Are you serious? You can't do this to her." Stiles looked surprised.

"I'm her only living blood relative. She shouldn't have to bounce back and forth." I explained.

"Do you honestly think any judge on the planet would grant you any sort of guardianship over her? Do you even have a job? I mean I know you don't have an actual residency so are you just doing this to mess with her?" Stiles shook the envelop in his hand and I could hear someone inside coming down the steps.

"She needs stability. She needs a family-" Stiles cut me off.

"SHE HAS A FAMILY!" He yelled as the door swung wide to reveal his father.

"Is there a problem out here?" He asked looking from me to Stiles.

"No sir. I was simply dropping off a piece of mail for my cousin but it appears your son doesn't know that it's a federal offense to read other people's mail." I said putting my hands in my pockets as Stiles handed his dad the envelope. He took one look at it before narrowing his eyes at me.

"What's this about son?" Sheriff Stilinski asked me.

"Maggie is my family. She shouldn't be bouncing around all over the place right now." I said making him rub his forehead.

"You should probably know her current guardian is Nathan Carter, right? He's also family and there is already papers documenting it from Karen Carter before her death and as far as her bouncing around, she chooses to swap time between the two houses." Sheriff explained as Stiles stood next to him fuming.

"Since Nathan Carter has taken over Karen's guardianship, he's been out of town. He's hardly suitable for-"

"With all due respect, what makes you anymore fit than him?" I was quickly getting adjusted with the two of them.

"Family is family, any way you spin it. If it were your son in her predicament then you'd want him with family, wouldn't you?" Stiles stepped in front of his dad.

"Are you threatening him?" The Sheriff quickly pulled him back.

"Maggie has known Scott and Stiles her whole life. I watched that girl grow up until she was 10 years old. We are just as much family to her as you are Mr. Hale but I'll go ahead and hold on to this for her because while you have made it clear that blood family takes precedent over everything else, I also have to weigh the fact that her father is still unaccounted for and a suspect in the murder of her mother so you can understand my hesitation about bloodlines." Stiles heart was beating fast and I felt my fists clench in my pocket.

"There's no need for things to get ugly. She's been through enough, don't you think? She's in good hands. I can promise you that." Sheriff Stilinski added. I shook my head and walked back to my car defeated and pissed off. I could hear Stiles dialing Scott before I could even pull away from the house and I hit the steering wheel. I saw Maggie's car at the old house and decided to leave the cash taped to the door. I knocked and quickly bailed out before she could answer and give the money back. I went back to the rail car to find Isaac talking with Erica and Boyd.

"Erica, I need you to go to the school and retrieve Jackson." I said throwing my jacket down on some crates.

"What for? I thought he said he wasn't pack?" Erica questioned.

"Just do what I tell you to." I shut her down and she put her hands up heading for the stairs. Boyd and Isaac shuffled around as I searched through some things.

"We've got to get you back in school. I need you to stay close to Maggie while this thing is out there." I said catching Isaac's attention.

"Last I checked, Jackson pretty much told the Sheriff that I killed my dad so I don't know how soon I'll be able to do all that." Isaac rolled his eyes.

"When I'm done with him, you can persuade him to rethink his story. Until then, I want you to move in on Maggie." I walked towards the rail car and heard Boyd shift on his feet.

"Something you'd like to say Boyd?" I inquired not even bothering to turn around.

"Do you really think it's a good idea to push Isaac on her right now? She's got a lot going on right now and-" I looked over my shoulder at him.

"Are you saying I don't know what's best for my own flesh and blood?" I turned towards him now.

"I'm saying that it would really hurt her if she found out that you were just pushing Isaac on her to pull her away from Stilinski. Plus we have bigger things to worry about right now, don't we?" Boyd met my gaze and I tilted my head to the side.

"Do you think Scott and Stiles are capable of protecting Maggie from the Argents and the Kanima?" I asked him straight up and he shook his head.

"I don't know." He was unable to look at me.

"She's my cousin. Do you honestly think I'd do something to hurt her?" I gritted out.

"She's my friend and I just don't want to watch her fall apart again." I could see Boyd's genuine concern for Maggie and I appreciated it.

"Come on man, it's not like I'm going to go put the moves on her. Well not unless she wants me to." Isaac spoke up with a smirk as I stared at Boyd. I turned towards Isaac and snapped his wrist back.

"Do you have true feelings for Maggie that aren't motive based?" I growled out.

"Y-YES!" Isaac winced in pain.

"And if I give you permission to date her, which is what it would be, would you treat her with respect?" I tightened my grip and he yelped.

"YES! OF COURSE!" Isaac gritted his teeth and I shoved him to the floor.

"Good." I left Isaac on the floor.

"Don't ever question my decisions regarding my family again. Maggie is the only blood I have left in the world. I'd die before I'd hurt her." I said pointed at Boyd but he didn't respond. He knew I was serious and I wasn't going to repeat myself. He took off with Isaac for a while but didn't return even when Isaac did. I didn't bother asking where he was because I knew I had bigger things to take care of Erica stumbled down the steps with Jackson. Isaac gripped his loose arm and his heartbeat was going a mile a minute.

"What happened to you on the night of the full moon?" I inquired seeing his face change.

"N-nothing. Nothing happened." His heart jumped.

"You're lying." I said as I pull on my father's old gloves.

"W-wait, no wait. I can prove it! I taped myself." Isaac laughed at Jackson.

"You taped yourself?" He mocked.

"Yes, it was the full moon and maybe while you were curled up in a corner having an existential crisis about turning into a monster, I was preparing for this so called gift your big bad alpha promised me! What did I get?! Nothing!" He started to pull away from Isaac but he stayed firm in his hold.

"You want proof, let me get the video." I looked at Jackson for a few moments. He was a snake no matter how you flipped it. It only makes sense for the kanima to be him and I sure as hell wasn't going to let him walk out of here if he was.

"No I have a better idea. You know, you've always been kind of a snake. Even Maggie says that you've been acting off lately." I stood up and walked towards him as Isaac kicked his legs sending him to his knees.

"Yeah because she's a great judge of character." Jackson spat but before I could threaten him, Erica pulled his hair back.

"Watch your mouth." She warned.

"Everyone knows a snake can't be poisoned by its own venom." I tilted the glass into his mouth and waited for him to turn into the creature but his limbs went limp. I let out a sigh of frustration knowing it apparently wasn't Jackson. I walked over to him and leaned down.

"You're still a snake Jackson, just not the one we're looking for. You stay clear of Maggie or next time I'll be paralyzing you permanently." I looked over at Isaac and he leaned down.

"Now you're going to do one more thing for us. Well, for me." I walked back into the rail car to look at my phone and saw I had a missed called from Maggie and a voice mail. I sat down ready to hear an earful about leaving her money.

**[Maggie's POV]**

"Hey Derek, I'm sure since you have Boyd keeping tabs on me you've found out about the movers but I don't want you to start leaving sketchy envelopes full of money around for me. At least come and talk to me so we can work out this stupid stuff. I can sell some things or get rid of some of it but I don't want you giving me money. If you really want to help me then you'll stop acting like I'm some sort of trader and start acting like my cousin." I hung the phone up before tossing the envelope of cash onto the remaining desk in the room. It was weird to walk through the house with it being so hollowed out. Everyone thought it would be too hard for me to be there since what happened to Karen but the blood was gone, the latches were washed away with them. It was either that or I was trying too hard to keep the memories out of my head. I had packed up everything in the attic carefully and with some assistance from Deaton who offered me a job at the animal hospital with Scott to help pay for the movers but I told him I wasn't ready for that kind of commitment just yet.

I had been sitting on the floor in the living room looking through old books trying to study up on the Kanima for over 2 hours when I decided to take a break. I was lying on my back in the empty living room when I heard someone knock at the front door. I figured it was Derek coming to complain to me about the voice mail I had left him but when I opened the door there was no one there.

"Come on Derek! This is getting ridiculous." I looked in the mailbox and saw another envelope but when I opened it there was a handwritten message.

_Maggie,_

_You have opened a very important envelope. It is filled with tasks that will lead you to an extraordinary adventure. There could be danger at every turn. If you choose to accept this mission then open the envelope with the number 1 on it. The completion of you journey will reward you with impeccable company for the rest of the evening._

A little further down the piece of paper there was a post script.

_P.S Dress warm_

_P.S.S I just realized this might freak you out so in case you were wondering this is from Isaac._

I had to laugh out loud at the message. I walked back in the house and grabbed my phone and a jacket before locking the house back up. I opened the first envelope once I got in the car and read the message.

_See now I've peaked your curiosity. You've always seemed like a girl who loves adventures. I guess I should tell you that this is the beginning of our first date. Your first mission is to go to the address below. There will be a box waiting under your name._

I drove to the address to find it was a phone store. I walked in and asked for a box under my name and they handed me a small cell phone box. I rolled my eyes and opened the next envelope.

_The next destination is a few blocks down. You won't need a car. It's Vinny's Pizza. Don't worry, our order is already paid for. I'd never make a girl pay on the first date, maybe the second but not the first._

I could imagined Isaac smiling as he wrote that but I walked to the pizza place and picked up the food before walking back to the car and opening the next envelope.

_I promise you are almost there. Drive to the preserve entrance off Kingmen RD and park the car before opening the last envelope._

I had no idea why I was following this random scavenger hunt. A part of me thought it could be that I simply wanted to check up on Isaac but in the back of my mind I was actually kind of excited to see where this date ended up. I parked the car and locked it, grabbing the small box, the pizza and my bag and placing them on the hood while I opened the last envelope.

_I'd help you carry all those things but I'm probably still setting up...or I'm afraid of getting lost but either way I suggest you follow the glowstick path I left you. If you could also pick those up on your way to me that would be great. I don't want Derek thinking I littered all over the preserve. If you get lost then just yell for me. I'll hear you._

I saw the first glow stick and the path that led into the woods and decided to leave them where they were so I didn't have to do all the work. I saw him pacing as I came to the end of the glow sticks to see a lantern and a blanket spread out by some rocks overlooking the city.

"So you not only ding dong ditch me but you send me to do your errands?" I said making him notice I was there.

"I was starting to think you gave up." He smiled walking over to help me with the box and the pizza. Isaac opened the box from the phone store and revealed a new cellphone.

"I thought the guy was supposed to shower the girl in gifts?" I asked cocking my eyebrow.

"The gift is that I no longer have to text you from Derek's phone. That was getting weird and he was starting to get annoyed." Isaac explained as a text popped up on my phone.

"Where is this impeccable company I was promised?" I teased pushing on his chest.

"Okay I suppose I deserved that but I'm still kind of on the lamb. I can't just go walking around in town, not yet anyway. I'm working on that." Isaac sat down on the blanket and patted the spot next to him.

"You know, most girls would find it creepy being led out in the woods for a date. Just saying." I put my hands up. He laughed.

"Well I'll keep that in mind for our second date." He looked up at me hopeful and I rolled my eyes before sitting down next to him.

"Someone's optimistic even though he made his date do all the leg work." I opened the box of pizza.

"It also helps that you aren't like most girls but I think I like that most about you." Isaac's words made me snicker.

"I bet you sat that to all the girls." I joked earning silence.

"Actually you're the first. You're actually the first girl I've ever really been on a date with." Isaac glanced over at me seeming unsure of what he just admitted.

"Lucky me." I smiled handing him a slice of pizza. He seemed to relax after that.

"So why here? I mean pizza is a must for a first date but the overlook? I mean it's beautiful but it seems a bit serious for a first date." I said making him shrug.

"I was thinking it was far enough away from Derek and Scott." I cut my eyes at him.

"Do you plan on murdering me, Lahey?" I questioned as he wiped at his mouth.

"Wow you are determined for me to be the creepy date aren't you?"

"If the lotion in the basket fits." He laughed shaking his head.

"I can't imagine how stressful things have been these past few weeks. I'm sure you feel torn between the two of them so I figured if I could get you out here to clear your head then maybe you could actually breathe easy for a while." I was looking at Isaac when he said it and was pretty shocked.

"That's pretty selfless of you considering Derek ruined your life for me." I said trying to take in his body language but he bit his bottom lip.

"Did you seriously just stop yourself from saying something? Are you holding back right now?" I questioned and he put his hands up.

"No I'm considering banning talk about Derek all together. I've been sort of dreaming this date up since I first talked to you and I don't want to ruin it by talking about Derek." Isaac admitted but this time when he met my eyes, I was smiling.

"You've seriously been thinking about this date that long?" I asked teasingly.

"I'm pretty terrible at this whole dating thing." He started to blush and I pushed on his arm.

"No it's cute." He glanced over at me and I started eating my pizza again. We sat quietly for a few moments before Isaac let out a chuckle that caught my attention

"Something funny?" I asked.

"I was trying to think about something to break the ice but I realized that pretty much everything I could possibly ask might make you upset." Isaac said nervously.

"Oh because of the whole family getting slaughtered and pretty much everyone I love being marked by my kiss of death?" I joked.

"What's the happiest you ever remember being?" Isaac asked randomly making me think.

"When I was 7. My mom was happy and Stiles mom wasn't sick and we were just kids enjoying stupid things like camping out in Scott's backyard and watching Goosebumps until Stiles peed his pants. My life was the best when I was a kid honestly. I didn't have all this supernatural crap thrusted upon me and I wasn't worried that my best friends were going to die. It was the only time I ever felt normal." I looked over at him and he nodded.

"I can understand that. Things were the best before my mom died. My dad was a completely different person and my brother Camden would try to pull me from my comic books long enough to teach me how to swim like a pro. After she died and Cam went off to the army, my dad became cold. He lost sight of the good things in life and I kind of did too I guess. But it's still nice to think about those moments where everything was peaceful. My mom would make breakfast every Sunday morning and I'd wake up to her singing to the radio in the kitchen and my dad trying to get her to dance with him." Isaac wore a smile that made me reach over and squeeze his hand. He snapped out of the memory and cleared his throat.

Isaac and I exchanged happy stories for over an hour. I learned more about his childhood and his family then I ever expected to learn and he actually laughed at some of the stories I told him about me and the boys making comments that made me realize him and Stiles would probably get along if not for the stupid tug of war Derek was starting. We had pushed the left over pizza aside and laid back no the blanket to get more comfortable.

"I fully agree that music plays a pivotal role in any and all race, especially a big wheel race." Isaac teased after hearing my story of Stiles strapping a portable radio to the front of his big wheel during a downhill race because it was needed for a victory but ended up giving him a concussion. I had to cover my face from laughing so hard and Isaac turned over on his side to look at me.

"I don't think I've ever heard you laugh so hard." I pulled myself together and looked over at him.

"I don't think I've laughed like that in a long time." I admitted. For a second, I thought Isaac might try and kiss me so I grabbed my phone opening up the music and searching for a song to play.

"My brother dated this girl in high school, Zoe Ward. She was like his high school sweetheart and she would make him these mixes all the time. Like after our mom died, she made him a Sunday morning mix to make up for her not being there to wake us up and a pick me up mix. I always thought it was pretty cool idea. Using music to alter someone's mood or to express how you're feeling towards the person." Isaac shrugged.

"She sounds like a really sweet girl." I said knowing he was clearly missing her.

"She would even make some for me once he deployed. They always helped me concentrate on my anxiety. I sort of have a problem with small spaces." Isaac glanced at me but kept his eyes on my playlists.

"Well if you can get a hold of those mixes, I could probably put them on your phone." I nudged him.

"My…my dad snapped all the discs in half." He picked a song by The Smiths before handing my phone back.

"I like this song. I should have guessed your taste in music would be pretty on point." He smirked.

"How about I make you a mix? I mean you did pretty good on this date, it's the least I could do." I said making his smirk drop.

"Seriously?" He asked surprised.

"It's not a sexual favor, Isaac. I love music and I've had a really good time with you tonight. If it will make you happy then I would love to make you a mix." I said sitting up. Isaac blushed again.

"So you didn't have a terrible time tonight?" Isaac sat up and mocked my posture.

"Don't let it go to your head. I still had to do all the hard work but the company wasn't horrible." He nudged me a few times and I shoved him back.

"Would it…would it ruin the date if I kissed you?" Isaac asked.

"You know most guys don't ask, they just kind of go for it." I pointed out.

"Considering I've been getting my ass kicked in training the past week, I figured I wouldn't risk getting punched in the face." Isaac said making me smile.

"It was nice to get away from all that for a bit huh? I mean I still hate the idea that you're going back to Derek's rail car so he can throw you around some more." I said without thinking and Isaac narrowed his eyebrows.

"I didn't mean-"

"You really hate that he turned us don't you? You don't see it having any positive effect on anyone's life." Isaac said tilting his head sideways.

"It hasn't. Look at Scott-" Isaac cut me off again.

"You knew what my dad was doing to me. You knew and you didn't say anything because you knew it would upset me and make things worse. The bite gave me my sense of security back. It gave me the power to stand up to my father. The night that he was killed, I ran out of the house because we were arguing about my grades. He threw a glass at my head, Maggie. He could have killed me but the bite saved my life." Isaac had raised his voice slightly.

"We all saw what Erica went through with her seizures. It wasn't pretty and it was tearing her apart emotionally. The bite gave her strength to control her own body when she couldn't before and Boyd just wanted to be a part of something. You can't fault him for wanting to be a part of something like you, Scott and Stiles have. It goes beyond friendship. You would die for them, you have died for them." Isaac pointed out.

"Whether you want to believe it or not, the bite saved your life too." I met his gaze and felt guilty. I was convinced that Derek had ruined the lives of my friends because of me but Isaac was pretty much telling me to get over myself. I gazed at him for a moment before leaning forward and capturing his lips with my own. I didn't want this date to end on a bad note and maybe he was right. Maybe the bite didn't ruin everyone's life. Isaac was surprised I had went in for the kiss. It was soft and gentle like he always seemed to be despite his rough home life. I felt his hand grip my cheek as he moved his lips with a bit more force this time. It took me by surprised but I enjoyed it. I reached up and put my hand on the back of his neck but I lost my balance sending him to his back. He went with it, pulling me on top of him. I put my hands on either side of his head and felt his hands holding onto my hips tightly. It felt nice to get lost in the moment and the more he moved my shirt up my back, the more I wished I could let myself go completely. I finally pulled away and he looked up at me breathless.

"I should probably get back to the house. I'm supposed to stay with Scott tonight." I said looking down at him. He shook his head and licked his lips.

"Y-yeah I guess it's getting pretty late." He said as I still hovered over him.

"Plus you've got a mix to make for me." He rubbed my back. I finally sat up and straightened my shirt out.

"A reason to hate Scott for an entirely different reason." Isaac sat up making me laugh.

"If there wasn't this whole feud going on, I think you two would actually get along really well." I said honestly as I got to my feet.

"I don't see that happening anytime soon." I helped Isaac to his feet and he looked down at me. I never realized how tall he was until he was up close and personal.

"What are the chances that I could get you to commit to a second date?" Isaac asked and I could feel him tugging on the pocket of my jacket. I tried to hang onto the silence for a moment but I felt so good about the evening we just had I couldn't hold out.

"Well if you can get rid of your fugitive status then I'd love to go on a second date with you." I smiled.

"Then it's a date." His face seemed to light up as we walked back to the car. I tried to offer him a ride but he made some excuse about wanting to run back to the rail car to burn some energy. I couldn't help but smile the whole way back to the house. I stopped and grabbed what I needed from the house before heading to Scott's. When I opened the door and hung my jacket up, I jumped when Melissa came running into the room.

"Do you have any idea what time it is young lady?" She was worried and upset.

"Actually no, I was playing music on my phone and it sort of died." I said honestly.

"It's past midnight and it's a school night. I know it's never been enforced much in this house before but there is a curfew." Scott was at the top of the steps looking at me strangely.

"I'm really sorry I'm late and I'm sorry I didn't call. It's still kind of new to me having someone at home waiting on me. It wont happen again." I stepped forward to hug her and she seemed to cave.

"You're still in trouble but until I find a parenting for dummies book and figure out how to properly punish you, you can just get to bed." She said hugging me back. I smiled at her before heading up the stairs past Scott. He followed me into my room and stared at me.

"I'm fine Scott. I just got caught up reading about-"

"You were with Isaac. His scent is all over you." Scott stood in the doorway. He was hard to read which was new.

"Yeah we sort of went out." I looked at my hands.

"Like on a date?" Scott questioned.

"Yeah like a date. It was actually pretty nice." I admitted and he crossed his arms over his chest like Melissa had earlier.

"Are you sure he wasn't just trying to sway you?" Scott asked.

"No actually he took me out to the woods so I wouldn't think about you or Derek. He wasn't trying to sway anything. It was about me and him getting to know each other. Honestly I think you'd like him if you got to know him." I said kicking my shoes off but Scott sighed.

"I'm like your big brother Maggie. I'm not going to like any guy who tries to pursue you." Scott walked in and sat next to me in the bed.

"Something tells me that's not true. You've never had a problem when I was pining for Stiles." I said making him look up at me with sad eyes.

"Does he know? About your date I mean?" Scott asked making me bite my lip.

"No he doesn't." Scott was quiet for a few moments. I never really thought about what he would think of me moving on from Stiles. I mean he's known how I've felt about Stiles since we've met but now that there might actually be something going on with someone else, someone who I can actually build a relationship with, he seemed almost sad.

"Just be careful Maggie." Scott put his hand on my knee and I smiled.

"I'll be fine, Scott. You worry too much. It was only one date." I laughed.

"I don't want you getting hurt in all of this, that's all." I put my hand on top of his.

"Thanks for having my back, big brother." I leaned my head on his shoulder and he kissed it. Scott waited a few minutes before getting up from the bed and leaving me with my thoughts. I opened my laptop and started working on Isaac's mix. I planned on going over to Derek's tomorrow after school anyway to talk to him about the money ordeal so I wanted to give Isaac the mix then. I got to bed around 2AM and was exhausted by the time I got to school the next morning. I put the mix in the top of my locker and tried to get the books I knew I would need after homeroom. Scott hadn't mentioned the date at all this morning but I figured that was just because he didn't want Stiles to find out. It's not that I was hiding it from him but I didn't really see the point in telling him. It really wasn't anyone's business but my own and Isaac's.

I let out a huge yawn trying to shake the weird vibes I was getting but two hands suddenly cupped my eyes.

"Danny, I am entirely too exhausted to play this game today." I said holding my eyes closed and feeling his chest against my back.

"Aw but I really had my heart set on playing with you." The voice in my ear made my put my hands on top of those resting against my eyes and spin around quickly to see Isaac standing in front of me with a smirk.

"Isaac! What are you doing here? You're going to get arrested if you-" He laughed as I grabbed the front of his jacket and looked around the hallway.

"I've been cleared. The Sheriff let me off the hook this morning. I am now a free man." Isaac said with a huge smile. I couldn't help but hug him when he said it. I was glad he didn't have to hide anymore but I was still pretty curious as to how he pulled that off. I didn't bother asking, instead I grabbed the mix and handed it to him.

"You finished it already?" He looked surprised.

"I was going to go see Derek today anyway and figured I would drop it off with you when I did." I shrugged as Isaac flipped it over and stuck it in his jacket.

"Thank you. I can't wait to listen to it." He leaned down and kissed my cheek. I could feel the blush as the first bell rang.

"I'll see you in Chem?" He said pointing at me. I nodded and walked into my homeroom as he walked down the hallway to his own homeroom. I sat down waiting for the announcements to start when someone plopped down next to me suddenly. The moment I saw Erica I knew it wasn't going to be pleasant.

"So I heard about your date with Isaac. You two would make a really cute couple." I hated how badly things had gotten with her so quickly. I thought about what Isaac said last night about the bite not always being a bad thing.

"Why do I feel like this isn't what you really want to talk about?" I looked over at her.

"Aw come on. What's a little girl talk between two friends." Her attitude had changed entirely from the girl I once knew. It was strong and forceful, which I imagine could be viewed as a positive improvement.

"You know, I'd love to have girl talk with you but something tells me you're still firmly against the idea of me not supporting the bite." I said putting my pen down on the table earning a forced chuckle.

"Oh I could care less what you think now." She said with a smile.

"And there it is." I gave her my full attention now to see what she really wanted.

"I was actually just letting you know that I'm considering pursuing Stiles. You know, since you're with Isaac now." I felt my heartbeat pick up slightly and I knew she could hear it but I tried not to bring attention to it.

"I'm not with anyone but honestly Erica if you want to pursue Stiles then you should but do it because you like him not because you're pissed at me." I tried to get through to Erica and for a moment I thought she might drop the act but she was quick to flaunt that forced smile once more.

"Gee thanks for the permission, Sis!" The last bell rang and she turned away from me as they started the morning announcements. I pulled out my phone and sent Stiles a text letting him know to keep his guard up. I was already exhausted from staying up late but now I just knew this day was going to escalate quickly downhill.

**[Stiles POV]**

The moment I talked to my dad this morning and found out about Isaac, I raced to the school to find Scott. I ran into him as he stood outside our homeroom.

"Dude I have terrible news. I just talked to my dad who just talked to Jackson-"

"I already know." Scott said staring at something. I followed his eye line and saw Isaac standing at Maggie's locker talking to her.

"What the hell is he doing?" I asked harshly.

"They sort of...they went on a date last night." I looked at Scott like he was crazy.

"And you didn't think to stop her? The guy is clearly trying to work her over to the dark side." I threw my arm out and Scott finally looked at me.

"We can't do anything but watch her back. Derek is already trying to pull her away, if we start pulling back then she'll lose it. We've got to be better than that man." Scott looked at me as I glared at Isaac. Maggie had made him a mix CD or something as she handed a disc to him.

"Great so I just have to sit back and watch this happen?" I asked trying not to lose my temper.

"Maggie isn't stupid. She'll be fine. Are you going to be okay?" Scott asked me as Maggie wrapped her arms around Isaac. He hugged her back but cut his eyes towards us, smirking like some cocky asshole.

"I'll get back to you on that." I gritted as the bell rang and she released Isaac. He walked towards us and into the classroom without one word. I went over everything in my head trying to make sense of it. Had I moved to slowly with Maggie? What if she only loved me like a brother? Should I have pushed her to talk about the kiss the night of the dance? Would Derek actually use Isaac to get to Maggie? I was snapped out of my thoughts by a text message from Maggie.

**Text** from **Maggie:**  
 _Erica has decided to make it a mission to get into your pants. Consider yourself warned._

I didn't bother answering it. I just tucked my phone back into my pocket and tried not to look over at Isaac as he looked at the little piece of paper inside the CD Maggie gave him. I knew he was holding it in a way that I could see it but I wasn't going to let him get to me. When we were released from homeroom I followed Scott down the hall. I was trying to explain to him what I had read about the kanima but I just couldn't get my head away from Maggie on a date with beta bitch. Where did they go? Why hadn't she told me? What EXACTLY happened on this date?

"Dude you have to stop dwelling. It's all over your face." Scott hit my chest as I sat down in my chair.

"Then you shouldn't have told me. I can't stop thinking about it." I blamed him as Coach walked in the room.

"Hey testicles left and right, what the hell is a kanima?" Jackson asked from behind us. I looked over at Scott but before we could even say anything, Coach slammed a text book on his desk.

"Alright listen up, quick warning before we begin our review. Some of you, like McCall, might want to start their own study group because tomorrow's midterm is so profoundly difficult, I'm not even sure I could pass it." He laughed making Scott roll his eyes. He called people to the board to solve the problems as we turned towards Jackson.

"Where did you hear about the kanima?" Scott asked.

"Derek's little Siamese idiots were talking about it in the hallway. Not to mention they kidnapped me yesterday thinking I was this thing. Do you have any idea how being paralyzed from the neck down feels?" Jackson seethed.

"Yeah I'm actually familiar with it." I said making him glare at me.

"Try being paralyzed and listening to them talk about your stupid asses for over an hour. Once Lahey started talking about his corny ass plan to stroll in the moonlight with Maggie I wanted to stab myself." I flipped around in my chair.

"What? What happened? Do you know where he took her?" Jackson rolled his eyes at me as Coach yelled.

"Jackson! Do you have something you want to share with the rest of the class?" Coach asked as Scott and I looked away from him.

"Um just an undying admiration for my coach." Jackson made me want to puke but that was nothing new.

"That's really kind of you. Now SHUT UP! Shut it!" He yelled making me cringe. Coach started to walk away as Scott turned to me.

"Why would they go after Jackson? I mean you don't think they'd go after-" I tried to ask but Jackson cut me off.

"Lydia? Yeah they're going after her next. All I heard was her name and something about chemistry which she has next." Jackson said. Scott looked at me as my heart started to pick up and pulled me towards him.

"How do we know it's not her?" He whispered.

"I looked into the eyes of that thing. What I saw was pure evil and when I look into Lydia's eyes, I only see 50% evil. Maybe 60 but on a good day 40." I defended.

"That's not a very good argument. If it's really her than she could be killing people and not knowing it." Scott pointed out.

"It's not her okay? Lydia is fine." I said tapping my notebook with my pencil just as Lydia started breathing heavy and whimpering. Everyone looked over at her as she walked to the board slowly and started jotting things down. It didn't really look like an actually word considering the letters were backwards so I took a picture as everyone started laughing and whispering.

"What the hell is she doing?" Jackson said from behind Scott.

Um...Lydia? LYDIA!?" The Coach yelled and she snapped out of it with tears in her eyes. The only time I'd seen someone go out of it like that was Maggie when she latched to something.

"Alright does anyone else want to try answering, preferably in English?" Everyone laughed at the Coach as Lydia went back to her seat.

"What is that? Greek?" Scott squinted at the board as if his wolfy vision was failing him. I took a picture and flipped it around.

"No it's English." I showed him the picture and let out a concerned sigh glancing back at her. She asked the coach to excuse her to the bathroom and didn't return the rest of the period.

"Yeah she seemed really fine." Scott said as we walked out of Econ towards Chemistry.

"What happened to Lydia? I heard she freaked out in Econ." Maggie walked up on us and Scott glanced at me.

"She had a meltdown, kind of like one of the ones I've seen you have when you touch something and catch a memory." I explained.

"Is she okay?" Maggie genuinely seemed concerned.

"Yeah if we can keep your boyfriend from killing her." I said bitterly as we walked into Chemistry.

"Derek isn't going to kill her without proof." Maggie's eyes went wide.

"Whoa! What the hell are you talking about?" Maggie grabbed a hold of Scott's arm.

"While you were on a moonlight stroll with Isaac, Derek kidnapped Jackson to test him and see if he's the kanima. The next person on the list is Lydia and if she tests positive then they're going to kill her." I said straight up as Erica and Isaac walked in.

"That doesn't make any sense." She said shaking her head. Scott and I kept our eyes on Erica and Isaac. We pushed past Maggie as they made a B-line for Lydia and she grabbed Isaac's arm pulling him into a seat. He smiled at her as she tried to talk to him but Mr. Harris walked in.

"Einstein said two things were infinite: the universe and human stupidity. I don't know about the universe but I myself have encountered infinite stupidity." Harris patted me on the shoulder and I swallowed the lump in my throat as Lydia smiled up at him in agreeance. I glanced over at Maggie and she frowned.

"We're going to do a round of group labs to see if two heads are truly better than one or in Mr. Stilinski's case, half." I shook my head taking the verbal abuse. He started splitting the groups up to start the stations and he sat me with Maggie first.

"Look I'd love to catch you up right now but I have to make sure they don't try anything." I glanced back at Allison and Lydia. Maggie put her hand on my arm and I stopped what I was doing to look at her.

"Please…talk to me. I need to know what's going on so I can help." She pleaded.

"I'm not sure you can." I said honestly. When I looked at her though she looked hurt like I just told her she was a traitor. Harris hit the bell on the table and told us to switch partners. Maggie got up and moved back to sit with Lydia and I watched Scott move back to work with someone else. When I turned around though Isaac was sitting next to me with that cocky smirk on his face.

"If you harm one hair on her head I will turn your little werewolf ass into a fur coat and give it to her as a birthday gift." I threatened as I unscrewed the lid off of one of the bottles.

"Would you be talking about Lydia or Maggie?" He asked not looking at me.

"Both. Maggie may not see what you're doing but I swear I'll cut your ass in half myself if you put one hand on her." I threatened once more but he just laughed.

"You may want to talk to her about that. She didn't seem to mind my hands on her last night. If I remember correctly, she enjoyed it a lot." He finally met my gaze.

"I asked out Lydia once too, you know." He said.

"Sounds like the beginning to a heartfelt story, I'm gonna pass thanks." I looked away from him.

"First day of freshmen year." He continued his stupid story.

"You thought everything was going to be different for you in high school but she said no-"

"She even laughed. Told me to try again when the bike I rode had an engine." He chuckled.

"Unrequited love's a bitch. Maybe you should write about it in English class. Channel some of that negative energy." I taunted him leaning on the table.

"I figured I could just channel it into killing her." I looked him dead in the face and he smiled.

"That and seeing just how many places Maggie will let me put my hands." I clenched my fists and tried to breathe through my temper.

"I guess it's a good thing she's over you." I gritted my teeth ready to spit venom at him but Harris hit the bell once more. He got up and Scott sat down next to me.

"Did you hear what that bastard said? Did you hear him?" I stood up and Harris smacked my arm with the ruler.

"If you are trying to test my patience Mr. Stilinski, I guarantee it will be a failing grade." I sat back down and fumed next to Scott as Isaac laughed at me over his shoulder. He was working with Lydia now and Maggie sat silently with Allison a few tables over.

"You've got to calm down. Maggie isn't like that. She wouldn't-" I cut him off.

"Did she tell you about the date?" I asked seeing his face fall.

"That's what I thought." I looked out the disgusting thing I managed to form in my beaker as Harris called time.

"Here's the part I'm sure you'll all enjoy, you can eat it." Scott looked at me and I shook my head sitting the beaker down. I looked over at Maggie and she pushed the beaker towards Allison and ignored her. I nearly jumped out of my skin when Scott jumped up and yelled.

"LYDIA!" The whole class looked at him.

"What?" Lydia snapped but Scott sat down slowly.

"N-nothing." We watched her eat the crystal and not fall out of her chair paralyzed. Scott hit my arm and I looked out the window to see Derek standing there. I looked back at Lydia and then over at Maggie who looked just as confused. When the bell finally rang, the four of us walked down the hall to Coach's office.

"Derek's outside waiting." Scott sighed.

"They're going to kill Lydia aren't they?" Allison bit her nails and Maggie sat on the desk.

"We don't know that." Maggie tried to dismiss Allison's assumptions.

"Actually we do. Your little boyfriend was bragging about how he planned on killing her…among other things." I dug my hands in my pocket and Scott made a face at me.

"Come on, we have bigger things to worry about." He tried to keep me focused but Maggie let out a frustrated sigh.

"Okay yes I went on a date with Isaac but it's not like he was whispering murderous plots into my ear." Maggie defended Isaac.

"From what he says there wasn't much talking to begin with." Maggie's face clenched.

"Stiles…maybe you should-" Allison tried to cut in but Maggie spoke over her.

"He wouldn't hurt Lydia, he's not like that. He knows I wouldn't be okay with it." She stood up from the desk and I shook my head. How could she not see what he was doing? Maggie was smarter than this.

"Maggie…he's playing you." I wanted so badly for her to understand what was happening but she didn't seem to want to believe me.

"I heard what he said too, Maggie. We've got to protect Lydia." Maggie looked over at Scott before looking down at the floor. She looked confused and oddly exposed as she walked towards the door. Scott stepped in front of her.

"Where are you going? Maggie we need-" Maggie put her hands up in front of Scott.

"I need to find Isaac. I need...just text me when you have a plan." She glanced over at me before opening the door and leaving us standing there.

"What do we do now?" Allison broke the silence.

"We get Lydia and protect her until I can talk Derek out of this." Scott said pulling out his phone.

"It's not Lydia." I said firmly.

"Dude she didn't pass the test, you saw for yourself." Scott sighed.

"It can't be her." I looked at the floor.

"It doesn't matter because Derek thinks it's her. So either we convince him he's wrong or we have to protect her. It would be better if Maggie would try and talk to him or at least buy us time to prove him wrong." Allison said as I paced the floor.

"How would we be able to prove it's not her by 3o'clock?" I asked.

"Maybe there's something in the bestiary." Allison pitched.

"Oh you mean the 900 page book written in Archaic Latin that none of us can read." I raised my voice.

"I think I might actually know someone who can read it." Allison stood up.

"I'll get Maggie and try to hold off Derek but if something happens then you two have to promise to call me." Scott grabbed Allison's hand.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She questioned.

"You can't heal like I can. I just don't want you getting hurt." Allison rooted through her bag and pulled out a mini crossbow.

"I can protect myself." She said and Scott glanced at me. I backed away and let them have their heart to heart. I glanced at my phone and decided to text Maggie.

**Text** to **Maggie:**  
 _Be careful._

She responded fairly quickly.

**Text** from **Maggie:**  
 _You too...and I'm sorry I didn't tell you._

I read it over a few times and hoped I wouldn't actually have to have that conversation with her. I didn't want to know how she felt about Isaac. I didn't want to know that he was going to be sticking around or putting his hands on her. I didn't want that to be a reality but I also didn't want her to get hurt either. I picked up Allison's crossbow and started to look at it. I touched the side of the trigger and it fired. Luckily Scott was quick enough to catch it.

"Oh...um sorry. Thing's got a sensitive trigger." Allison took the crossbow from me and Scott shook his head.

"Are you going to be okay getting Lydia?" Scott asked me and I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket again but didn't bother checking it.

"Yeah...yeah I can get her. We'll just go to your house. Maggie's got to have something there that can help us figure things out." I nodded at Allison as we walked out of the coach's office. I took a deep breathe and started looking around for Lydia.

**[Scott's POV]**

I left Coach's office still worried that Allison would try to handle things on her own and I had no idea where Maggie might be but I knew I had to talk to Derek. I headed out towards the field and saw Boyd practically waiting for me.

"I wanna talk to Derek." I said still walking towards him. He was twice the size he usually was but not in a bulky, chubby kind of way. More like a he could snap me in half kinda way.

"Talk to me." Boyd said.

"I don't want to fight." I said looking him up and down.

"Good because I'm twice your size." Boyd knew his size was intimidating but I still felt like I could win the fight, I just knew it would upset Maggie.

"True...really really true but you want to know what I think? I'm twice as fast." Boyd smirked ready to swing on me but I tackled him to the ground. He jumped up quickly almost embarrassed that I had taken him down. He looked like he was going to come after me but a voice broke through.

"She failed the test." I looked over at Derek and glanced back at Boyd.

"That doesn't prove anything. Lydia's different." I defended.

"Yeah at night she turns into homicidal walking snake." Derek said.

"I'm not going to let you do it." I said firmly but he glanced at Boyd with a smile.

"Who said I was going to do it?" Derek challenged and I instantly thought of Maggie. I couldn't even flinch before Boyd had close-lined me to the ground.

"How could you use Isaac to get close to Maggie like that? You took advantage of her!" I yelled with what breath I had left in my lungs.

"I don't know why you think you have to protect everyone now, Scott. Maggie is my family and I can take care of her just fine." Derek explained as I rubbed my ribs which Boyd had broken. I could feel them healing.

"STOP!" All three of us looked back as Maggie ran across the field.

"Derek you've got to stop this." Maggie threw herself down next to me and put her hand on my ribs.

"How could you do this? You're better than this Boyd!" Maggie scolded Boyd.

"Lydia's killing people and she's going to keep killing people until she's reached one of us. Can you live with that?" Derek looked at the both of us as Maggie healed my ribs.

"What if you're wrong? She was bitten by an alpha but you've seen that thing up close. It's not like us!" I started to sit up.

"But it is! We're all shapeshifters! You don't know what you're dealing with and we don't have time for you two to try and find it in those books. It happens rarely and it happens for a reason." Derek explained.

"So you've dealt with a kanima before? You know this first hand?" Maggie spoke up earning a glare.

"What reason would Lydia have being the kanima?" I questioned.

"Sometimes the shape you take reflects the person that you are." Derek extended his hand and I took it making sure to pull Maggie to her feet as well.

"We all know what kind of person Lydia is, even Stiles calls her cold blooded. Look at what she's done to Maggie." Derek looked over at Maggie.

"None of us know what this is about, Derek but killing Lydia because she failed some sort of stupid test is rushing into something you can't take back. Despite what she's done to me, I won't just let that happen to her. You aren't that guy." She stepped closer to Derek and he looked away from her ashamed.

"What if she's immune? Maybe she's got something inside of her that makes her immune to the bite? Maggie-" I offered making all three of them look at me.

"NO ONE IS IMMUNE TO THE BITE! I've never seen it or heard of it! You either change or die, that's it." Derek cut me off.

"What about Jackson?" I stepped closer to him and Maggie's head whipped around.

"You bit Jackson?" She clearly had no idea.

"You tested Jackson which means you gave him what he wanted and bit him." I started to revved up but he glanced at Maggie.

"Scott-" I cut him off.

"Peter said the bite either changes you or kills you! I don't see you biting him to build a pack to protect Maggie so you were probably hoping he would die but nothing happened...and you have no idea why, do you?" I looked at Derek as he stewed.

"No." He gritted out. I felt Maggie drop her hand from my arm.

"What if Lydia is immune and she somehow passed it onto Jackson...you know I'm right." I shook my head.

"NO!" Derek shouted.

"You can't just kill her-"I started to defend once again but Derek had had enough.

"I CANT JUST LET HER LIVE!" Derek shouted.

"Let her...let her live? You're an alpha, not a God! Who gave you the power to take lives?!" Maggie grew upset and started to back away.

"I'm trying to protect you!" Derek defended his actions and she let a tear roll out of her eye.

"I'm so tired of that excuse! Stop trying to protect me! All you're doing is hurting me!" She cried running back towards the school.

"I was hoping I could convince you that this isn't the way to go but I wasn't counting on it. You say everything you've been doing is for Maggie but you barely give her the time of day. Maybe instead of building this idea of what's best for her, try actually being there for her." I shook my head before chasing after Maggie. I caught up with her at her locker and she was going through her bag.

"Maggie-"

"Don't Scott. I don't need you to comfort me right now. This isn't about me, it's about Derek and Lydia. There is more important things right now. I'll be fine." I watched her put things into her bag and slam the locker door shut.

"I know that you're strong Maggie but I need you to tell me what I should do. I won't hurt Derek-" She put her hand on my arm.

"I know you won't. I'm going to try and catch Stiles before they take off. I'll just meet you at the house." She tried to pull away but I stopped her.

"Do you have a plan you want to let me in on?" I asked with a chuckle but she just took a deep breath.

"Protect Lydia and try to keep the betas off her trail. Honestly, I don't know who I can trust right now-" I put both my hands on her arms.

"You can trust me, always. Keep me posted and I'll meet you at the house as soon as I can." I said kissing her forehead. She took off in the opposite direction and I tried to go find Boyd and Derek.

"MCCALL! GET IN HERE!" Coach instantly threw a monkey wrench into things.

**[Maggie's POV]**

I ran out to the parking lot and startled Stiles as they piled into the jeep.

"LYDIA!" I yelled making her spin around. I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her tightly.

"Um...can I help you?" She pushed away from me and Stiles looked confused.

"Just thought I'd say hey." I let her go and she looked at Stiles before getting into the jeep.

"Take this and make sure it's in her pocket. It will protect her. I'm going to use her scent to try and throw Erica and Isaac off." I explained.

"Are you-" I cut him off.

"Please stop asking that. You and Scott are driving me crazy. I've got so much going on in my head right now, I don't want to lie to you but I know what's important here. I know this isn't about me, it's about Lydia so please just let me help you guys do that." I rubbed my hand through my hair and Stiles nodded.

"Why don't you just come with us now and help us protect her at Scott's." Stiles tried to coax me into the jeep but I shook my head.

"I need to know about Isaac. If...if it's true then I need to know for myself." I said stepping away from him. He moved his mouth like he was going to say something but Lydia started to get impatient.

"Go! I'll be there soon." I reassured him as I ran back towards the school. I started to ran into all sorts of things. I rubbed against the lockers and stopped in the girl's room. I stopped off in a few class rooms before walking into the library to find Danny.

"Hey what are you doing?" He asked stretching.

"I'm waiting on someone. What are you doing?" I asked him standing by the table.

"Working on something for Jackson. If you're waiting on Scott then you just missed him. He was giving me shit about my pads that someone wrecked." He gestured to his pads and I picked them up getting a flash of Jackson. I dropped the pads and shook my head. The door behind me opened and Danny jumped up.

"Look man I told you I didn't know where Lydia was!" Danny put his hands up and I turned around to see Isaac and Erica. His face dropped and Erica rolled her eyes.

"Maggie...what are you-" I laughed and pushed past him into the hallway hoping that he would follow. Luckily he did.

"Wait! It's not what you think." He grabbed my arm and I shoved him into the lockers.

"You mean you didn't use me? You didn't try and distract me away from Derek's plan?" I accused.

"NO! Of course not." Isaac shouted.

"It just worked out that way." Erica smirked.

"You know what, shut up Erica. The only thing the bite did for you was make you a giant bitch." Erica growled at me and Isaac stepped between us.

"I don't need you protecting me. I can take care of myself." I pushed Isaac back and he caught my arm.

"Oh please! All you do is complain and act like you're some sort of victim in all of this. Have you ever thought maybe it's not all about you?!" Erica bit from behind Isaac.

"Shut up Erica!" Isaac turned his head.

"I trusted you! I thought you actually liked me but instead you used me!" I shoved him again.

"No I didn't! I do like you, a lot! I just don't want to think about you hurting all the damn time! Derek didn't send me, he gave me permission to ask you out because he knew it was something I've been wanting to do. I'm sorry if you don't believe me but...you just don't understand. You have all this guilt and resistance when it comes to the bite and honestly, I don't. I'm just trying to protect the pack." Isaac defended as I muttered a spell in my head.

"I won't let you hurt her. I wont let you hurt anyone." I backed away from him and when he tried to move his feet he realized he was frozen to the floor.

"W-what the hell?" Erica tried to move too but she couldn't.

"It'll wear off once I get far enough away from you." I started down the hall.

"MAGGIE! Why are you fighting this?" Isaac asked still trying to move his feet.

"Because I don't want to watch anyone else die." I said honestly before rushing out of the door to my car to find the tires were flat. I cursed in my head before stealing Scott's bike. I didn't see myself making it there on foot before the sun went down and I knew I needed to get there before Derek. I threw the bike in the grass in the back yard before using my key to come through the back.

"Who are you calling?" Stiles stood at one side of the door while Allison stood on the other.

"Scott...we can't do this without him." She said putting the phone up to her ear.

"He's not here yet?" I asked making them both jump and Allison firing the crossbow into the wall next to me.

"What the hell!?" I threw my hands up.

"You can't just sneak up on people like that!" Stiles said gripping his chest.

"Well I'm not thrilled with the idea of being shot at either but you don't see me busting her balls about it." I gestured to Allison who looked uneasy.

"We've got company." She said looking back at the window. I walked over to where she stood and could see Isaac and Erica walking up next to Boyd and Derek.

"Damn I didn't think the spell would wear off that quickly." I said keeping my eyes on them.

"You used magic on them?" Stiles questioned me.

"On Isaac and Erica. I needed a head start. Where is Lydia?" I asked trying to get him to stop eying me.

"She's upstairs with Jackson. She has the charm on her though." Allison cut in as she stared at her phone.

"Did you call Scott?" I asked Allison who looked surprised I was talking to her.

"Yeah he said he was on his way but...I don't know. I think...I think I need to call my dad." Allison was upset and staring at her phone.

"But if your dad finds you here, you and Scott-" Stiles started to say but she looked at him.

"I know but they aren't here to scare us, Stiles. They're here to kill Lydia." Allison sniffled and I put my hand on her phone.

"I'll go out there and try to stall them until Scott gets here." I walked towards the door and Stiles stopped me.

"Maggie, if you couldn't stop them from following you here than what makes you think they won't try something on you? You can't just walk out there." Stiles said as I rested my hands on the chair sitting up against the door.

"Derek won't hurt me okay? Not physically anyway. If I'm out there than I can keep an eye on them." I pulled the chair away and started to unlock the door but noticed Stiles biting his tongue.

"What? What's with the look? I'm trying to do the right thing here but if you have a better idea than please spit it out." I snapped at him and he looked down.

"Just...just be careful." Stiles swallowed whatever he was going to say and I glanced at Allison.

"Lock the door behind me." I said before walking out on the porch to see Boyd and Derek.

"I don't know what you used on them but they're pretty much useless right now. Isaac's legs keep locking up and Erica's complaining of needles in her feet." Derek said as I looked around for them.

"Where are they?" I asked walking down the steps.

"I guess you're waiting for Scott to get here huh? Do you honestly think he can control the kanima?" Derek challenged with a laugh.

"No but I think he is capable of resisting the urge to kill a 16 year old girl. I thought you were too but I guess I was wrong." Derek just rolled his eyes at me as I walked closer to him.

"Did what happened to me really change you that much? That you'd kill the first suspect without asking questions? I've never looked in your eyes and saw a killer Derek. Why are you doing this now?" I asked feeling vulnerable.

"You have no idea how to handle things Maggie. When you pulled through in the hospital and told me that we were all the family we had left. You said that I was the alpha and that I needed to step up and do what needs to be done because the line of people who truly loved me ended with you. I built a pack, a family and now I'm trying to get rid of something that threatens that and the other people you have in your life and now I'm the bad guy? You have no clue what it's like to try and protect someone and them lash out at you like you do with me." Derek explained walking closer to me.

"But killing someone shouldn't be this easy for you! You have to know that it's wrong, Derek." I threw my hands out.

"You're acting like a child! Don't be so naive, Maggie! I have to eliminate the threat immediately especially now that you've decided to stifle your wolf. What's the point of you getting a second chance at life if you aren't going to take advantage of it?" Derek pointed out making me glance at Boyd. I looked back at the house and knew something was off.

"Where are Isaac and Erica?" I asked once more earning a head shake from Derek. I heard wood splintering inside the house and ran back for the door to find it was locked. I put my hand on the door and it's like it was like I suddenly got X-ray vision as I saw Isaac toss Allison towards the steps and slam Stiles to the floor. I hit my hand on the wood before running to the back door. I had to get inside.

**[Stiles POV]**

"I hate this. I hate watching her get put in the middle. Can't we just shoot them?" I said aloud.

"She's okay, Stiles." Allison kept her eyes outside as I paced.

"No she's not. Whatever happened with Isaac has her all shaken up and now Derek wants to play her alliances against her...she's not alright." I said shaking my head.

"If I shot one, would you stop pacing?" She asked looking back at me.

"Only if you shot Isaac. As much as I'd love for you to shoot Derek, I know that would only upset Maggie." I joked.

"Isaac isn't out there." Allison said looking out of the window. I jumped up and looked towards the window seeing Maggie talking to Derek while Boyd stood next to him but there was no Erica or Isaac.

"Where the hell is Isaac?" I asked baffled. Suddenly Allison whipped around and was thrown towards the steps, knocking the crossbow out of her hands. Isaac grabbed my shoulder and tossed me quick easily with impressive force into the wall.

"RUN!" I said looking at Allison. She stumbled up the steps as Isaac picked me up from the floor.

"It's sad really. How you think you can protect her. Didn't her own dad tell you that you could never handle her?" Isaac growled as he tossed me over the dinner table, knocking over the chairs. I tried to crawl away but he grabbed the back of my shirt dragging me on the floor.

"It's pathetic!" He growled shoving me into the wall. His hand was on my throat and I could feel the scrape of his claws on my skin as he squeezed. He lifted me up slightly off my feet and I kicked my feet but I was suddenly dropped to the floor and I heard Isaac's growl as he hit the front door. I looked up to see Maggie picking Isaac up off the floor and holding him like he was just holding me but without even touching him.

"Is this what the bite has done for you? Turned you into some abusive monster?! This is the good it's brought you?" She growled at him and he looked surprised that she was holding him up.

"You tried to convince me that the bite was truly a gift to you guys but here you are hurting someone I care about, hurting him the same way your father hurt you and you think that makes you a better person?!" She growled and Isaac's eyes glowed as he reached for his own throat like he was being choked out.

"HOW COULD YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HOW I FEEL FOR YOU!? HOW COULD YOU MAKE ME THINK IT WAS OKAY?!" She yelled just as Scott came bolting in through the back.

"Are you okay?" He leaned down gripping my shoulder.

"Y-yeah." I nodded towards Maggie. He ran over to her and was almost afraid to touch her.

"Maggie...you're going to kill him." Scott said as her eyes turned bright green. She closed them tightly and backed away stumbling over the rug. I jumped up and caught her before she hit the wall. Scott head butted Isaac sending him to the floor knocking him out cold before looking at us.

"I got her. Go." He ran up the steps to check on Allison and Maggie rubbed her head.

"It's going to be okay." I said still holding her. I tried not to think about the pain in my back from being tossed around just moments earlier.

"No it's not. I can feel myself getting stronger and Derek's right. I can't fight it." She got up from my lap and helped me up. I winced and watched her face fall.

"Let me see it." She stepped closer.

"It's not that bad." I tried to play it off but she frowned. I put my arms around her and hugged her.

"I'm sorry about...earlier." I said into her hair. She ran her hands up under my shirt and touched the skin of my back. I shivered as I felt her lips move against my shirt. My back felt 10X better before she pulled away.

"I'm sorry I didn't listen." She said glancing over at Isaac. Scott had carried Erica down the steps and picked Isaac off the floor.

"Are you okay?" I asked Allison who just shook her head.

"Lydia's locked in the bathroom." Allison looked at Maggie as she stared at Isaac.

"Let's do this." Scott said as I pulled the door open for him. Scott tossed them both out and I reached for Maggie's hand giving it a squeeze as we followed Scott out of the house. Something felt wrong about it. The only time I had felt this strange feeling in my stomach was when Maggie told me I was the reason she was leaving Beacon Hills.

**[Scott's POV]**

I walked out on the porch and Derek shook his head at us. His betas had failed and Maggie stood next to Stiles trying to keep it together.

"I think I finally understand why you keep refusing me Scott. You're not an omega, you're an alpha of your own pack. But you know you can't beat me." He said smugly.

"I can hold you off until the cops get here." His smile fell as the sirens could be heard from a distance.

"He isn't trying to beat you Derek. He's trying to keep everyone alive." Maggie spoke up but Derek huffed.

"You know what Maggie? I'm done. You've clearly made your choice and if you think these pack of merry idiots can protect you than that's your stupidity." He snarled gesturing to us but she still walked down the steps.

"It doesn't have to be one or the other, Derek. You're my family and I love you but so are they. You can't expect me to choose." She shook her head at him and I could actually feel her sadness.

"You already have. You can't have it both ways and you know why." He looked away from Maggie for a moment and got a look on his face like he was about to do something stupid.

"You just didn't think blood was important. Maybe I was wrong about you." He stepped back from her.

"What do you mean?" Maggie asked clearly confused.

"Maybe you aren't a Hale after all." That was what the look was for. I could hear the stutter in Maggie's chest where he had basically broken her heart. I moved forward but Allison grabbed my arm stopping me.

"W-well I guess I'm sorry I was such a let down." She looked down and knelt between Isaac and Erica placing a hand on Erica's arm.

"I'm sorry for the things I said to you. I hope the bite brings you happiness." Erica could finally move her limbs and Boyd helped her to her feet. She looked confused as to why Maggie would help her but she didn't' say anything. Maggie put her hand on Isaac's cheek and healed him as well making him gasp.

"Thank you for taking me out last night. It was nice. But if you ever put your hands on Stiles like that again or use me, whether it's an order or not you will regret it. Do you understand?" She asked him and he shook his head quickly. Maggie stood with her back still to us and Derek just watching her. She looked up at Boyd who was the only one who seemed to feel the pain for her.

"Take care of him." She said to him before walking off into the darkness.

"Maggie wait!" Stiles yelled after her but she disappeared. There was a hiss above our heads and we walked down off the porch to look up at the roof. It was the kanima. It hissed at us all and I gripped Allison closer to me before it took off in the same direction as Maggie.

"Let's get out of here." Derek said turning away from us.

"How could you say that to her? How can you hurt her like that?" I spoke up making Derek turn around.

"She's hurting herself." Derek said simply and I made a move towards him but Stiles stopped me.

"We don't need him to find her. He's not worth it." Stiles said.

"That's right. You think you can protect her when it'll probably end up getting you killed. You think I'm the one hurting her? When she gets you killed, how do you think she'll handle that?" Derek pointed at Stiles but before he could say anything Lydia came running out on the porch.

"Will someone PLEASE tell me what THE HELL is going on?!" She asked pissed and clearly confused. We all stared wide eyed at her. If she wasn't the kanima then it could only be one other person.

"Jackson."


	6. Where You Belong

**[Maggie's POV]**

All I could do was walk. I could hear the sirens and knew Derek and the others would flee soon so I started to run. I wanted to be far enough away from all of them to where I could cry freely without anyone knowing. Derek knew just how to hurt me and make me feel guilty and now I was running down the street trying to catch my breath through sobs. I couldn't take being pulled in two different directions anymore. Scott and Stiles never pulled the way Derek did but I could tell that Stiles didn't want me to talk to Isaac or Derek much. He felt like they brought me down when in reality is with the fact that I didn't have much family anymore and I still seemed to be losing what I had left.

"Maggie? MAGGIE!" I snapped my head to the street and saw Danny drive up next to me. He put his car in park and jumped out.

"What happened? Are you okay?" He was frantically checking me over.

"That's kind of a loaded question." I said burying my face into his chest. He hugged me tightly and I tried to calm my breathing. Eventually he led me to his car and I pulled myself together.

"Did you want me to take you to McCall's? Or maybe Stiles place?" He asked and I shook my head.

"Honestly, I just need to get away from what I normally do. My head is just all over the place and I wish I could forget-" He laughed cutting me off.

"Then fate must have made me drive down this street to find you because I was just going to go home and clean up before going out tonight and drowning my sorrows. My boyfriend dumped me and Jackson has been working me like a slave labor to fix some stupid tape with him so I think we both could use a night out to forget about everything." Danny said holding onto my hands.

"Look at me, I'm a mess. I can't go anywhere tonight." I shook my head and Danny smiled.

"Then you come to my house and we'll get you spruced up. Come on Maggie. You deserve a night to just let go and I couldn't imagine running the streets to try and get over an ex with anyone else." Danny said making me shake my head. I honestly didn't have anywhere else to be and I couldn't go back to the house right now. The last place any of them would come looking for me was a night club.

"I don't even have a fake ID." I said and Danny looked excited that I caved.

"Do you even know me? Come on, let's get you back to my place and clean you up. My sister probably has a few things you could wear." Danny opened the car door and we headed to his house. It was nice to be around a family that was so nice and friendly. Danny's mom made me something to eat and his sister went to work on making me look club worthy. Danny had taken my phone to keep Scott and Stiles from calling but when he walked in holding my ringing phone up, I looked at him.

"Who is this Jack Sparrow look alike calling you because I might be jealous." I looked at the phone and saw Nathan was calling. I rolled my eyes taking the phone.

"Nathan? Is everything okay?" I asked answering it.

"Hey yeah everything fine. I just wanted to let you know I'm docking tonight. I was wondering if we could meet up and talk about a few things in the morning. Around 9:30 sound okay?" I was a bit stunned by the call. I didn't think Nathan would be back. Something just told me that he was running for the hills and Melissa and the Sheriff didn't have the heart to tell me.

"Maggie? Hello?" Nathan's voice snapped me out of it.

"Sorry, yeah sure. 9:30 is fine. I'll see you then." I looked at the phone before hanging it up.

"So who was that?" Danny asked.

"I guess my uncle. He's the brother to my aunt's husband. I was kinda dumped in his care when she was killed so." I looked over at him and he put his hands on my shoulders.

"Don't start frowning. Let's get out of here before you start over thinking again." He said squeezing my shoulders. I got up from the chair and tried to shake off the bad vibes. I had no idea why Nathan was back in town or even why he would want to talk to me but I imagine it was to let me down easily. On the way to the club, Danny was telling me about his ex and what happened with him. I tried to listen and act interested but I was honestly a million miles away. I felt terrible for being a shitty friend to Danny but between everything that happened with Derek, his pack, Scott and now Nathan...I needed to get drunk. I vaguely remember skimming over a spell about turning liquids into a serum that could get any mythical creature a bit off their game. I figured it was worth a try tonight. Danny handed me a pretty well crafted fake I.D and it wasn't until we were inside the doors that I realized we were at a gay club. I just laughed as he tucked his arm through mine and walked me towards the bar.

"How's it going tonight?" The bartender asked looking at us.

"Just drowning our sorrows tonight." Danny said before ordering us both drinks. When the bartender returned, Danny looked out at the dance floor and frowned before turning back to the bar quickly.

"What's wrong?" I asked nudging him.

"He's here. I don't know why I thought he wouldn't be." Danny said miserably and I put a hand on his back.

"So what if he's here. It was clearly his loss because you're hot and a total sweetheart." I nudged him with my hip and he rolled his eyes.

"Says the single straight girl." Danny teased and I hit his arm.

"She's right you know, you're better off without him." The bartender spoke up.

"See! Thank you." I said putting my hand on the bar.

"It still doesn't feel good." Danny mumbled.

"You know what will feel good? That guy." The bartender nodded his head and we both looked in the direction of the dance floor to see a rather fine looking brunette with no shirt and a cute smile. Danny finally smiled and looked over at me.

"I can't just leave you here." He said blushing.

"Are you kidding? I'll be fine. Go and dance with that hottie before I think of some way to become a hot guy so I can go hit on him." I slapped him on the butt and he glanced at the bartender.

"I'll keep an eye on her." He winked before Danny ran off towards the hottie. I watched him talking to the guy before looking down at my cup and saying the spell. I took a sip of it and it tasted like candy but I instantly felt a slight buzz.

"I don't know if you're going to find much action in here but I do know a few ladies that wouldn't mind talking shop with you." The bartender said as I turned and saw a group of drag queens approached. The moment they were introduced, I felt weightless. The bartender kept giving me soda and I kept saying the spell over and over again until I felt the numbness in my head.

**[Stiles POV]**

I tried Maggie's cell again but it still went straight to voice mail. I wanted to give Derek a piece of my mind about what he said to Maggie but he took off the moment Jackson surfaced. Scott sent Allison off with Lydia while we went after Jackson but I couldn't get Maggie off my mind. She was devastated by what Derek said. I don't know how he could be such a dick to her but I wanted to make sure she was alright before diving head first into the Jackson hunt.

"Dude will you please stop texting. We have to find Jackson before he starts killing more people." Scott scolded.

"I'm trying to find out if Maggie is alright. Can't you just track the thing by scent anyway?" I said shoving my phone back in my pocket.

"I don't think it has one but it's got to be around here some place." Scott said as I caught a glance of a tail going into a vent.

"Sc-Scott." I pointed up and he just saw it before it disappeared. Scott yanked the door handle off and handed it to me as I looked around hoping no one heard it. I dropped it and quickly followed him into what seemed to be a club packed with dudes.

"Dude, everyone in here's a dude." Scott said as a few men dressed in drag caressed my face.

"I think this is a gay club." I let out a sigh at Scott's insanely accurate but oblivious observation.

"Wow nothing gets past those keen werewolf senses, huh Scott." He looked over at me and pulled me away from the...ladies.

"Something smells familiar." Scott looked through the crowd.

"I wasn't aware you frequented the local gay bar, Scottie. You could have at least invited me." I said hitting him on the back.

"Maggie." Scott pointed and my eyes went wide as I saw her dancing with two guys.

"What the hell?! Why is she-" I was cut off by Scott.

"She must have come with Danny." He gestured to Danny as he was grinding on some other dude. Maggie looked like she was so carefree dancing with those random sweaty dudes.

"Why would she be in the middle of a glitter chest sandwich?" I asked annoyed earning a strange look from Scott.

"Because she came to forget, or at least that's what she told me earlier. Trust me, she is only keeping those guys from getting it on. You the guy she's trying to forget?" The bartender asked.

"Uh no but I hope you checked her I.D." I said trying to reprimand him.

"She's drinking soda tonight. The only thing she's drunk on is adrenaline." He defended. Maggie turned her head and caught sight of us, letting out a scream and running towards us.

"SCOTT! STILES! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE HERE!" She jumped up on Scott and hugged the side of his head.

"Are you drunk? I didn't think that was possible." Scott said as he put her down.

"I've been using a spell! Yeah it's amazing. Just chant it over the liquid and BAM! Instant buzz." Maggie waved her hand over her drink and made the straw stir the soda on it's own. I quickly grabbed her drink and put it out of sight.

"Maggie, not in here. You can't just-" She cut me off.

"They accept me in here! We're friends. Tony the bartender introduced me to some of the ladies since Danny is getting his groove on with some new hottie." She was completely out of it and I don't think I'd ever seen her like this before.

"Tony! Can you get them two drinks?" She asked waving her hand around.

"Maggie, I need you to sober up so we can get Danny out of here." Scott said trying to get through to her as she jumped around.

"No! Scott this is fun. Danny needs this okay? His boyfriend broke up with him and he needs to have a night where things aren't such shit, you know? I need this." She said biting her straw and waving at someone behind us.

"Who are you waving at?" I asked spinning around.

"Isn't it nice to just drink away the problems? I mean I feel AMAZING! I didn't even have to buy this one." Maggie said smiling.

"Who bought you a drink?" Scott asked curiously as the bartender returned with two drinks for us, taking my money but leaving Scott's on the bar.

"The same guy who just bought you one! Awww snap! Scott's got it!" Maggie started dancing around and I glared at Scott as he smiled goofy.

"Oh shut up with your stupid face. We have bigger problems to be focused on." I said turning back towards the dance floor.

"Does it include Maggie's drunken dancing because that seems like a pretty pressing issue." Scott joked as Maggie flailed her arms in the air. I tried not to laugh but I knew that if she was sober she wouldn't be dancing this horribly.

"Oh! Stiles those are my friends, Victoria and Patricia! Ladies that's the boy I was telling you about. Isn't he adorable!?" Maggie said as the two drag queens from earlier walked up and grabbed my ear.

"He's scrumptious." The blonde said leaning into me.

"I could eat him right up." The brunette pinched my cheek. Scott looked over at me amused and I rolled my eyes at him.

"Any time you want to throw a plan together, that would be great." I said as Scott pulled me away from them.

"You need to get Maggie and Danny out of here before Jackson gets in here." Scott said looking around the club. I walked over to Maggie and she pulled on my arm.

"Dance with me!" She smiled throwing her arms around my neck and grinding into me.

"M-Maggie, we've got to get out of here." I said into her ear but she ignored me.

"I was telling the ladies how much I'd love to dance with you like this and now you're here." She said into my neck making sure I felt her lips against the pulse point.

"STILES!" Scott yelled pointing to the ceiling. I looked up to see that Jackson had gotten in and was making his way towards the center of the dance floor where Danny is. I pulled Maggie's arm and she stumbled towards me as I walked her towards the bar.

"What are you-" I cut her off by grabbing her face.

"Listen to me, Jackson is the kanima and he's here to kill Danny. I know that what Derek did hurt you but I need you to sober up and be here with me now or someone is going to get hurt." She looked at me as I held her face and I watched her eyes flutter as she pulled away. I stared at her, watching her move away from me, looking ashamed as she wrapped her arms around herself. I felt a hand clasp my shoulder and I turned around.

"Get Danny, Derek's here." Scott said pulling me away from Maggie. I tried to break through the crowd of people but it was almost impossible.

"DANNY!" I yelled out to him but was too far away. I shoved through more people and called out to him again but more fog filled the room. I saw a bunch of guys start to go down and Danny was one of them. I saw Maggie rush through people and kneel down to him.

"STOP!" She screamed loud enough for people to see that something was wrong and started freaking out. I caught a glimpse of Derek's red eyes wandering through the people before getting down next to Maggie.

"What's happening?" Danny asked as people shuffled to get out of the club.

"It's okay, I'm not going to leave you." She said holding onto him. I saw Scott run out of the door and a blood trail on the floor.

"Maggie, don't move okay? You stay right here. Do you hear me?" I raised my voice slightly and she nodded her head. I ran out of the exit and found Scott in the parking lot with a bloody naked Jackson.

"What do we do now?" I asked almost afraid for the answer.

"Get the blanket out of the back of your jeep. We'll get him in there and I'll got question Danny." Scott said.

"I hate that plan." I whined before getting a look of annoyance from Scott. I ran to the jeep and pulled out the blanket so Scott and I could move him to the jeep. Scott ran off and I saw Maggie walk out with Danny on the gurney. He couldn't seem to get Maggie to come with him so he ran back over to the jeep.

"What is she doing?" I asked and Scott threw his hands up.

"She won't leave Danny but they said she can't come with them. I couldn't get anything out of Danny with her standing there." Scott said as I opened my door.

"Wait, where are you going?" Scott asked.

"We can't leave her here wasted and I'd like to get out of here before one of my dad's deputies sees me." Just as I said it my dad pulled up right in front of the jeep.

"Oh my God, oh my God! Could this get any worse?!" I shrieked shutting the door to the jeep to meet with my dad.

"What are you doing here?" Dad asked crossing his arms over his chest.

"What do you mean what am I doing here? It's a club, we were clubbing, at the club." I tried to play it off but he looked over at the doors.

"Not really your type of club." He said making me swallow hard.

"Um well dad that's a conversation we should-" He cut me off.

"You're not gay." He said abruptly.

"I could be." I defended.

"Not dressed like that and how you act whenever Maggie walks around in pajamas." I glanced behind my dad to see Maggie stumbling this way.

"Maybe we could talk later dad, I really have to-" He cut me off once more.

"This is the second crime scene you just so happen to be at and at this point, I've been fed so many lies lately, I'm not sure I know the kid standing in front of me. Now what the hell is going on?" Dad yelled at me and I looked down at my hands.

"Dad I-"

"The truth Stiles." He cut me off one last time as Maggie stumbled towards us. I reached out and caught her before she fell.

"Sorry Sheriff, he's covering for me." Maggie rubbed at her face.

"Maggie? What are you doing here?" Dad asked as I straightened her out.

"Danny's boyfriend dumped him and I was having a pretty crappy day so we came here to drown our sorrows. Turns out, I'm a horrible light weight." She lied cringing.

"I called Stiles to pick me up and we got separated in the chaos." Maggie coughed a few times and I prayed she didn't vomit on me.

"Is this true?" Dad asked looking at me and I licked my lips.

"I didn't want to get her in trouble. She's been through the ringer, Dad. Maybe it's best to let it slide this one time." I pitched as Maggie groaned.

"I don't want you drinking anymore, Maggie. Now get home before someone see's you." Dad said as I hoisted Maggie's arm over my shoulders and picked her up.

"And son...you're a good man. Take care of her." Dad gave me a nod before I raced to put Maggie in Scott's lap.

"We have to get them both out of here." I said trying to think quickly.

"I'll take you to the station and sneak out a prisoner transport van, you can take him into the preserve and I'll take drunkey here back to the house." I said starting up the jeep. I managed to pull off heisting one of the transport vans and helping Scott chain Jackson up in the back before getting in the jeep to take Maggie home. She was giggly the whole way there and kept petting my face as I carried her inside.

"You know, under difference circumstances I think I would completely enjoy drunk you. I don't think I've ever heard you giggle." I pointed out making her giggle even more.

"See, that was cute." I said helping her up the steps.

"You're cute." She said kissing the side of my face.

"Yeah we should definitely get you drunk more often." I readjusted my grip on her and stopped to take a break.

"Thanks again for covering with my dad. I owe you one." I said as she rested back against the wall.

"I have a pretty good way you could repay me." She smiled before falling forward and kissing me. I mumbled against her lips and pulled away.

"Mmm as nice as that was, you're wasted and I smell like dude sweat and body glitter." I joked as we finally got to the top of the steps.

"Maybe I'm not as wasted as I appear to be. Maybe I'm just testing my boundaries." She said making me stop outside her room.

"Boundaries? What boundaries?" I questioned. Maggie stood up straight and shook me off as if she had been walking completely fine moments ago and shoved me back into the wall.

"Whoa...um-" I put my hands up and Maggie tilted her head sideways.

"Maybe it's easier for me to put the moves on you when you think I'm super wasted." She said leaning against my chest.

"P-put the- put the moves on me. I'm pretty sure we've established I'm totally okay with moves being put on me but if you're going to I'd kinda like you to remember it the next day." I said trying to breathe normally but she was running her fingertips over my neck and down my chest.

"We should get you in the shower. I'll grab you some clothes." I cleared my throat slipping past her and walking into her room to get some pajamas. I heard her walk into the bathroom and turn the shower on so I decided to take a moment to breathe.

"Get it together man. She's drunk off her ass. You'd only be taking advantage of her." I looked in the mirror and slapped myself. I slapped myself again and cringed.

"Okay that was a bit too hard-" I jumped when I heard something fall in the bathroom and bolted out of Maggie's room praying she didn't hurt herself. When I hit the door she was plopped down in the shower with the water spraying her in the face. I threw the clothes on the sink, threw my hoodie off and tried to shut the water off but slipped into the wall.

"Jesus, here just gimme your hands." Maggie's hands shot up and I pulled her up.

"You're always taking care of me. Why are you always taking care of me?" Maggie groaned as I tried to get untangled from her with the hot water of the shower spraying over the both of us.

"It's kind of my job." I said finally getting to my feet and pulling her to hers. She rested her hands on my chest and I pushed her soaked hair off her face. She looked up at me with lost eyes, absentmindedly rubbing my shirt that was now soaked to my chest. I don't know what possessed me to do it but when she leaned up to kiss me, I leaned down returning the kiss much harder than either of us had expected. Her lips tasted fruity and made mine tingle from whatever she had been drinking at the club but when she ran her tongue over mine, I felt like my legs went numb. I fell back into the wall of the shower and she pulled away from me yanking her shirt over her head.

"I can't breathe with this thing on." She mumbled as the water ran down her chest into her purple lace bra. I felt my mouth moving like I was trying to find worse to say but nothing came out. She leaned back into me and started attacking my mouth once again. This time I hesitantly ran my hands down her slick back taking in the feeling of my hands on her skin. I felt myself grow hard and knew my face was the spotty crimson it always was when I got worked up.

"M-maggie…what are you-Oh god." Maggie dropped down to her knees in from of me and shoved my shirt up licking down my stomach and fumbling with my belt buckle.

"If this is another dream- I'm gonna be so- oh pissed." I moaned letting my head fall against the wall just hearing the zipper of my jeans being pulled down. Maggie bit the skin under my bellybutton and I jumped

"Does this feel like a dream to you?" Her hand rubbed over top of my hard on making my jaw drop in the most awkward face I think even I have ever made.

"N-no it's real. Very real." I moaned licking my lips as I closed my eyes tightly. I was unsure if I could actually look down at her and not completely lose it but that's when I realized what was really happening. Maggie was drunk and I was letting her...do things that I'm all for but this wasn't right. My dad's words kept replaying in my head and I pulled her up quickly.

"Maggie...MAGGIE stop." She pulled away and looked up confused. I jumped out of the shower and slipped on the floor. I walked out into the hallway and started silently screaming about how much of a dickhead I was. I walked back in with my head down.

"Look Mags, I'm sorry I-" I stopped when I realized she was passed out in the tub. I let out a sigh and ran my hands through my hair with frustration. I turned the water off and picked her up out of the tub. I tried to dry her off as best as I could before slipping on a giant t-shirt. I didn't have the balls to try and rid her of her water undergarments though. I got a text from Scott and decided to write Maggie a note. I laid her in the bed and covered her up pushing her hair off her face.

"I'm sorry." I said trying not to sound so damn pathetic. I closed her door hoping my dad wouldn't bother her and left with this huge guilt weighing me down.

**[Maggie's POV]**

The moment I heard the door shut, I put my hands over my face and let out a heavy sob. I was so embarrassed. Completely mortified. I basically threw myself at Stiles and he literally ran for his life. I didn't know how I was able to fake sleep long enough before breaking down. I rolled out of bed and went back into the shower to get it all out. I was too humiliated to even function. Just being in the house made me want to die. How the hell was I supposed to face him after that? Where could I possibly go to escape how I felt right now? I turned off the shower and changed my clothes before walking into the room to see someone standing by the window. It was Erica.

"If you're here to tell me I'm a bitch or a traitor or whatever then please just text me." I said exhausted.

"I heard you were at that night club when that thing attacked. Are you alright?" Erica asked shifting on her feet.

"Suddenly you care? I thought I was your new arch nemesis." I said walking in and sitting on my bed.

"I'm pretty sure to be an arch nemesis, you actually have to fight back." Erica said rolling her eyes to the side.

"Look it's been a really shitty day which turned into a really shitty night so if you're here to twist the knife, just get it over with." I said rubbing my eyes. She walked closer and frowned.

"You smell like you've been crying. Did you get hurt at the club?" She asked stepping closer.

"No I didn't get hurt at the club. Part of me wishes I did to put me out of my misery." I ran my hand through my hair before looking at Erica as she looked me over.

"You don't have to check up on me. I don't want to keep you." I gestured to the door and she moved towards it.

"If you want me to go then I'll go. I know I'm like the last person you want to see right now but I was worried about you." She said biting her lip. She turned towards the door before looking back at me.

"He didn't mean what he said. He's just upset you picked them over us. I don't blame you, I've been the worst…and I'm sorry." I was surprised by her apology. I missed talking to Erica and after what happened with Stiles, I needed a girl to talk to.

"For the record, I didn't pick anyone and I'd really like it if you stayed." I could feel the tears coming and she moved towards me almost instantly.

"I could really use a friend right now." I put my face in my hands and felt her wrap her arms around me. She stroked my hair and rubbed my back as I cried like a baby. Erica waited until I pulled myself together before she laid down next to me in the bed.

"Something tells me that this isn't just about Derek being a dick. What happened?" Erica asked leaning on my pillow.

"I went out with Danny to try and take my mind off of things and did a spell to get drunk. But by the time Stiles drug me back here I was starting to sober up. One thing led to another and I basically made a fool out of myself." I said sniffling.

"More of a fool than Stiles makes of himself on the daily? I doubt that." Erica said trying to reassure me.

"I pretty much threw myself at him and he literally ran out of the room in shambles. I had to pretend I passed out just to get him to leave and then he apologized." I felt the heat rise in my cheeks and Erica frowned.

"Maybe he's just intimidated by you." She suggested but I rolled my eyes.

"He's not intimidated by Lydia." I pointed out.

"To be honest, I think Stiles is intimidated by anyone with boobs but Lydia's not you." Erica said making me chuckle.

"Yeah no kidding." I said resting my head on the pillow before blowing out a sigh.

"No you don't get it. You two have history. Maybe he wants what you want but is afraid to ruin things between you." Erica explained but I knew that wasn't the case.

"You know I visited you in the hospital. Stiles wouldn't leave the room so he sat there and talked with me while I talked with you. He told me stories about you two when you were kids and all the things you were good at, like singing. He would stare at you and smile when he talked about you like you were the most amazing girl he's ever known. A girl would be lucky to have someone talk so kindly about them." Erica said nudging me.

"Everything just feels off since I woke up in the hospital. I'm worried things will only get worse and I'll never get to let my feet hit the ground." I admitted and Erica smiled.

"Well that's what you have friends for. Despite all the crap going on, you seem to have a strong following. I'm here for you and so is Boyd." She said firmly and I smiled.

"It's nice to be able to talk to you again." I reached for her hand and she met me halfway.

"I guess I sort of let this all go to my head a bit but thanks for giving me a second chance." She said. The rest of the night we talked about what was going on with the pack and how she and Boyd had gotten really close. I can honestly say that if Erica hadn't talked me down, I would have had a complete meltdown. When I woke up in the morning, she had left me a text saying Derek called looking for her and she had to split. I rolled out of bed and glanced into Stiles room to see him sleeping as if nothing had happened last night. I bit my lip and started getting dressed for when Nathan swung by. He was right on time, tires screeching in front of the driveway.

"So where are we going?" I asked getting into his truck.

"Well I want to show you something and get your opinion." He said glancing over at me.

"What exactly is it that you need my opinion on because I assure you that I'm not really the best judge of character these days." I joked earning a stiff laugh.

"You'll see." Nathan said driving North. I knew we were heading towards the water but I wasn't sure what for. When we pulled up to house on the water about 20 minutes from Stiles house, he looked over at me.

"What do you think?" He asked parking the truck.

"I think it's a house on the water. What am I supposed to think?" I asked getting out of the truck.

"Well I was hoping you like it, considering I bought it." My head snapped back towards Nathan.

"How did-" He cut me off.

"I sold off the company and the house. Got enough from that to buy this place and the little bar tavern a few miles down the water so I'd have a steady job. The house is pretty nice inside, you want to check it out?" Nathan held up the key and I followed speechlessly behind him. My mind was kind of blown by Nathan actually talking as if he were actually sticking around.

"Nice little kitchen that overlooks the water. That's the living room and the den, there's some fishing stuff in there if you're interested. This room down here would probably be mine. There's a guest room right there for unexpected company." Nathan pointed to a fairly large room that had a view and another small room across the hall before climbing the stairs. He opened the door to another room and cleared his throat.

"I was thinking this would be your room." I looked at Nathan before entering the room. It was a lot bigger than Nathan's room.

"It's got the best view and you'd have your own bathroom. It's even got a little staircase to the attic so you can put all your...books and stuff up there." I looked back at Nathan and sat on the window seat that would be perfect for a nice evening of reading while watching the moon.

"Are you going to say anything or just leave me standing here sweating?" Nathan asked.

"It's a lot to take in. Just give me a minute." I said taking a deep breath.

"Why would you do all this? I mean we barely know each other and it's pretty much my fault that Louis is dead. I just kind of got dumped in your lap. Why would you drop everything to settle down in Beacon Hills?" I asked. Nathan sat down next to me and laced his fingers in front of himself.

"Louis and Karen were pretty much the only family I had left. You may not have known about me but I knew about you. Louis talked about you all the time. He always said I'd like you because we're so much alike. You gave him reassurance that he'd be a good dad someday. Hell he practically raised me himself before I was old enough to take off and get lost but you were what made him feel like he would be better than our father, which isn't hard to beat really. I've been a drifter most of my life. Louis was the only thing that felt like home base for me. Him and the ocean." Nathan explained before riffling through his pocket and pulling out a worn piece of paper.

"He left this for me." He extended it out and I took it cautiously to read.

_Nathan,_

_I'm sure Karen has talked over the details with you regarding Maggie and the house. By now, I'm sure you've been sitting on the company unsure of what to do with it and how to best honor my memory but I want you to stop thinking. Sell the company. Sell as much as you can and when you have all the money, I want you to do something life changing. It's time for you to plant some roots little brother. It doesn't have to be Beacon Hills but Karen always thought that it was a special place. I'm sure you're also a bit freaked out about possibly becoming Maggie's guardian and that's perfectly normal. She is a very special girl, Nate. She deserves to be treated as such. She deserves a family, and so do you. If you don't think you can handle it then I know Melissa McCall and John Stilinski are more than welcome to take care of her but don't wait too long to figure out what you want to do. Above all else, take care of yourself. Don't be afraid to be the honorable man we both know you are. You always considered yourself the screw up of the family but you aren't. You're creative and spontaneous and you have an extremely big and guarded heart. You should share it with Maggie._

_Take care of yourself little brother. Take care of our girl- Louis._

I folded the note up in my hands and Nathan stood up, taking it back and putting it in his pocket. I thought about that night with Karen. Finding her on the floor and knowing she had wanted me to trust Nathan had always struck a cord with me. She knew I didn't trust easily but one of the last things she said to me was to trust him because he was family, despite how my own father tried to kill me, she asked me to not only trust him but to trust her. My mind went to Scott and Stiles next. It had been nice living with both of them but I needed to be able to stand on my own. Just thinking about what happened last night proved how much I needed space.

"So you bought a house and a bar and want me to come live with you now?" I said it out loud and he laughed.

"Yeah I guess it sounds pretty crazy when you say it out loud but you're pretty much the only family I got left so I figured we should stick together." He said looking at his feet. I couldn't get Karen out of my head. Maybe Nathan was going to be what kept me out of the tug of war between Derek and Scott. Maybe this is exactly what I needed.

"Alright. I'm in." I said suddenly making Nathan freeze.

"You're right, we should stick together." I said making Nathan's eyes go wide for a second before he chuckled.

"Wow…alright. That was surprisingly less complicated than I thought it would be. Let's do this then." He smiled at me extending his hand and I took it, letting him help me up.

"I guess I've got some work to do. I'll let John and Melissa know." Nathan said scratching his head.

"All the stuff from the old house is still packed up. I can call the moving company and have them send it here, unless you don't wan the furniture?" I offered and Nathan shook his head.

"No no that sounds great. Once we get this place set up, I'll show you the bar. I have a feeling it's going to need a feminine touch or something." He smiled and I shook my head.

"Maybe we can have dinner tonight or something. I mean, it would probably help with the whole getting to know each other thing." I suggest and Nathan nodded as we walked out on the deck.

"Yeah I could be up for that." I followed Nathan to the truck and felt a surge of excitement about starting something new and getting to know him but I also dreaded having to tell Scott and Stiles.

**[Scott's POV]**

Stiles had volunteered to take over the Jackson watch in the morning so I figured I'd go visit Danny and see if he knew anything about why Jackson would become the kanima. When I walked in he was getting dressed.

"McCall? I'm gonna start thinking you're sweet on me if you keep checking up on me." He joked.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay." I said as he buttoned his jeans.

"Well I thought maybe Maggie would have told you I was fine. She's gone to get my wallet." He pointed past me. I didn't know Maggie was even here.

"I didn't know she was here. I'm glad she's checking up on you though." I said walking into the room more.

"I was wondering if you were sure about everything you said last night. I mean, you're sure everything is good with you and Jackson?" I asked as he fixed his shirt.

"Yeah I'm sure. I mean on a scale of 1 to 10, Jackson lives at like a 4 but we're good." Danny explained as Maggie walked in.

"Got your wallet but they took your I.D." She said glancing at me.

"Hey what are you doing here?" She asked confused.

"Just checking in with Danny making sure he was alright." I said as Danny stood up.

"Crap I just remembered that my car was still at the club." Danny shook his head.

"Well you didn't have any valuables out right?" Maggie asked.

"Just my tablet with Jackson's video on it. If I lose that he'll probably be beyond a 10." Danny looked over at me.

"What was on the video?" I asked but he looked at Maggie.

"I'm not supposed to say." He wasn't going to tell me.

"What if I told you it was a matter of life and death." I pressed.

"Scott." Maggie stepped in and I gave her a confused look. She was supposed to be helping us.

"Give me a call when they say you can leave and I'll come pick you up to take you to your car." Maggie grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the room.

"What is the matter with you? He was attacked last night." Maggie whispered harshly.

"Which is exactly why we need to figure out what's on the tape. Jackson is going after Danny for a reason." I explained only to have my mom run up on us.

"You two are supposed to be at school. Do you want to explain to me why you aren't?" Mom crossed her arms over her chest.

"Nathan signed me out today so technically I'm clear." Maggie raised her hand.

"What about you?" Mom looked to me and I couldn't think of anything to say.

"Scott, you're failing two classes. You need to be in school or else you won't be a junior next year. Do you understand that?" Mom was serious. I didn't know my grades had fallen that much and I was pretty worried about everyone moving on without me.

"I'll help him study for the midterms, he'll be fine." Maggie put her hand on Mom's arm and I nodded.

"Thank you sweetie but I know you'll have a lot on your plate with the move." I looked over at Maggie confused.

"No worries, I'll make it work. I can quiz him while he helps me with the heavy lifting." Maggie smiled.

"Stiles is actually waiting on us." I said and my mom gave me a nod. I got a text from Allison saying that Jackson's parent's knew he was missing and her and Stiles were going to move the van.

"Just to catch you up, Jackson is in a stolen prisoner transport van in the woods. Apparently his parent's know so Stiles and Allison are moving him." I explained and she gestured to her car. When we got in I put my phone on the dashboard so she would know where to go but I remained silent. She could feel my eyes on her and finally let out a sigh.

"I'm moving in with Nathan. He's decided to stay local and he even got us a pretty cool place on the water." She explained. I was pretty surprised to hear that she was making such a big decision.

"You barely know the guy, why do you suddenly want to move out? I mean I didn't think you hated living with me." I said making her click her tongue to her teeth.

"I don't hate living with you or Stiles. I just need to learn how to be on my own. Plus he's still family. It's what Karen would have wanted." She said but I could hear the thump in her heartbeat.

"Is this about what Derek said?" I asked as she pulled onto the preserve. Derek had made some really shitty comments last night about her taking sides but I never actually thought she would think I was somehow trying to pull her away from Derek.

"I just want to do something for myself. It's got nothing to do with you and Stiles." Maggie started to drive down the path that Stiles and I had pretty much made through the woods.

"Fine." I finally said. She glanced over at me almost surprised.

"If that's what you want to do then that's fine. Just let me know what I can do to help." I said genuinely.

"So you're okay with this?" Maggie asked almost like she wanted to be talked out of it.

"Well I'm going to miss the days where we head to school together and fall asleep watching movies together but I'm not going to stop you from doing something you want to do. You're my best friend, Mags. I love and support whatever you think is best." I said earning a head shake. She reached over and grabbed my hand and I gave hers a firm squeeze. I could tell she was nervous and something was bothering her but I couldn't pry. She had to tell me when she was ready or she would just pull away and that's the last thing I wanted her to do right now.

We pulled up and saw Allison and Stiles standing near the edge of the preserve. Stiles looked surprised to see Maggie but I didn't ask why he was being weird.

"Did you talk to him?" I asked looking at the van.

"Yeah he doesn't believe me or remember anything. He's starting to get a bit hostile." Stiles said looking back at the van.

"Can you blame him? He's been stuck in a van all night." Allison said crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well if Jackson had Danny working on retrieving a video then maybe he does know what he is and just doesn't want to tell you." Maggie spoke up.

"We should see if that tablet is in Danny's car." I looked over at Maggie but she shook her head.

"I checked. There was nothing in the car." Stiles cheeks got red as Maggie glanced over at him.

"Someone must have stolen it then." I said running my hand through my hair.

"Then that would mean someone is protecting him, the book did say the Kanima seeks a friend." Allison pointed out.

"What book?" Maggie cocked her eyebrow and Allison looked surprised that she spoke to her.

"I had the Ms. Morrell translate some of the bestiary." Maggie shook her head.

"That's not very smart but okay." Maggie's annoyance was noted by Allison.

"Okay let's just take a second to clear some things up. Somebody watches Jackson make a video of himself turning into the kanima and just erases part of it so he wouldn't know? I mean who would do that?" Stiles pitches.

"Wait, you said the only thing you found online was that the kanima only goes after murderers. What if that's actually true?" I remembered.

"It can't be, he tried to kill all of us, remember? I don't know about you three but I haven't killed anyone lately." Stiles said rolling his eyes.

"Maybe it wasn't trying to kill us." I offered.

"Scott, I watched it pull a karate kid on Maggie before dumping her concussed ass into the pool. The leg cramps I got from holding Derek's heavy ass were practically unbearable. That doesn't scream savior to me." Stiles pointed out.

"When we were at Isaac's the first time it went right past us." Allison said.

"And it didn't kill you the night in the garage." I added.

"Maybe it wasn't trying to kill us. Maybe it was trying to keep us in the pool?" Maggie offered making Stiles shake his head.

"This is ridiculous. Why do I feel totally misunderstood and violated right now?" Stiles glanced at Maggie.

"Because there's something else going on. We don't know what it is or what's going on with Jackson or why someone's protecting him." I explained as we all stood frustrated.

"Know thy enemy." Allison's words made us all look at her.

"It's just something my grandfather said." Allison shook it off and Maggie let out a noticeable sigh.

"Look I got it: Kill Jackson. Problem solved." Stiles put his arms out. Allison and I looked at him.

"He risked his life for us against Peter, do you remember that?" I reminded and Maggie stepped back.

"Risked his life? He's the reason you almost got killed by the Argent's." Maggie said sounding disgusted.

"I'm standing right here, Maggie." Allison finally spoke up and Maggie cut her eyes at her.

"Well then I guess that hex didn't work. Damn!" Maggie snapped her fingers together mocking Allison.

"Maggie!" I stepped between her and Allison and Stiles put his hand on Maggie's arm.

"Don't touch me." Maggie put her hand up and Stiles backed away.

"I think we all need to just calm down." Stiles put his hands up.

"You think it's one big joke. Just kill Jackson and that'll make everything better?" Maggie raised her voice.

"Look at what we know Maggie! Derek gave him the bite, it's funny how he just got everything he wanted by risking his life. It actually is funny." Stiles defended.

"It doesn't mean he's not worth saving." I said making Stiles shake his head.

"It's always something with him though." Maggie snorted and Stiles cut his eyes at her.

"Something you'd like to add?" Stiles asked.

"No of course not. Your logic on how Jackson gets everything he wants and is a giant annoyance in your life is totally a winning case to kill him. Why not just light the van on fire." Maggie said making me look over at her.

"Did you seriously just say that to me?" Stiles questioned and I put my hands out.

"Maggie, I know you've got a lot in your head right now but this isn't helping. Jackson doesn't know what he's doing." I said keeping my eyes on her. Something was going on but I didn't know why she was lashing out at Stiles. I knew she why she was still hostile with Allison but I didn't know something had happened with Stiles.

"So what?" Stiles crossed his arms over his chest.

"So neither did we." I pointed at Maggie and I before turning to Allison.

"Do you remember when I almost killed you and Jackson?" I asked and she nodded at the memory.

"Or the time you got so upset at Stiles and Lydia that you almost lost control in front of everyone?" I looked back at Maggie who was hugging her arms around her.

"We had people to help pull us back but Jackson has no one." I said trying to get through to Stiles.

"That's his own fault." Stiles seethed. Maggie shook her head and started to walk away.

"I'm done. Do whatever you can live with." She said throwing her hands up.

"Maggie, just wait." I went after her but she spun around.

"Scott, I'm sorry okay? I'm even a little sorry for snapping at you." She pointed at Allison.

"But I just need some space right now, from all of this." She said biting her bottom lip to keep from getting upset.

"Hey...I know something is up and if that's what you need then do it but I could really use you here." I whispered.

"Can someone please tell me what the hell is going on?" Stiles spoke up throwing his arms out.

"I'm...I've got someplace I need to be, things I need to get done..." Maggie said taking a deep breath before looking at Allison.

"Keep an eye out." Allison nodded at her and Maggie started to her car. Stiles started to go after her and I stopped him.

"No what is going on? Why is she being like that? How could you just let her leave like that?" He questioned as she turned her car around.

"Because we have things to deal with here. If there's a chance we can save Jackson then we have to try." I said but he just stared at me.

"What aren't you telling me, Scott? What's going on?" Stiles could read me better than anyone and he could also read Maggie. I couldn't lie to his face. Stiles was like my brother, my best friend and he deserved to know why Maggie was pushing away.

"Nathan came back to town. Apparently he got a place for the two of them." I explained seeing Stiles eyes go wide.

"Are you kidding?" Stiles asked folding his arms over his chest as I nodded.

"So she decided that she's moving in with a guy she's known for like 2 seconds because...?" He pressed and I knew he was pissed.

"Look at the stress she's been under since she got out of the hospital. Feeling the pull of Derek and his pack, bouncing back and forth from my house to your house, she needs something stable that's away from the two things pulling her in different directions."

"WE HAVEN'T BEEN PULLING AT HER!" Stiles snapped at me. Stiles glared almost through me for a minute before shaking his head.

"I've got to go home." He started to walk away.

"Stiles." I called after him but he didn't stop.

"Just call me if you need me." He yelled. I ran my hand through my hair and Allison touched my arm. I listened in the distance for him to finally pull away before sitting on the hood of Allison's car.

"This is going to get worse, isn't it?" Allison asked leaning her head on my arm.

"I hope not." I breathed hoping Stiles didn't make things worse with Maggie. Eventually we moved to sit in Allison's car and she became pretty quiet.

"What's on your mind?" I asked and she shrugged.

"Do you think Maggie would really hex me?" I had to laugh at the question but I could see Allison was serious.

"Of course not. Maggie wouldn't do that to you." I explained.

"Really? Why not? Because we're such good friends nowadays?" Allison rolled her eyes and I reached for her hand.

"Maggie knows who really killed Karen and she also knows why you were so upset but she would never hurt you." I said firmly.

"How can you be so sure?" Allison asked pouting.

"Because she loves me enough to know that would be like hurting me." I said making her roll her eyes.

"That's reassuring. She won't hurt me because you love me." Allison's words made me think back to last night when we were chasing the Kanima and her dad somehow managed to find us. Stiles said she had been freaking out before Maggie got there and was going to call him but I was too afraid she'd take it personally if I asked her straight out.

"What's on your mind?" Allison said curiously trying to change the subject. That's the thing about Allison and Maggie. They both knew how important they are to my life and try not to dwell for too long on what the other one feels because they know it would hurt me.

"How did your dad know where to be last night? He was there in the alley, him and Gerard." I asked not looking at her.

"They have people, guys who monitor every camera in town. ATM's, traffic cameras. Have you seen the ones they put up in school?" She asked and I just shook my head. I could feel her eyes on me as I tried to think about what else those cameras have caught but she pulled me from my thoughts.

"You thought I told him." She sighed. I looked at her and shook my head but she knew.

"No, I don't know just..." I couldn't lie to her face. I loved her too much for that.

"I'm on your side, Scott. I'm always on your side." She sounded like she was actually trying to convince me and I felt like such a sucky boyfriend.

"I know, I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I kissed her hand and she smiled.

"I just thought things would get back to normal now. Things with your dad, things with Maggie...I just wish things would slow down a bit, at least slow enough for me to pass a class." I joked.

"You'll pass." She reassured me. I pulled her to my chest and held her for a few moments. I wished all moments were this simple. I could just hold her in my arms and not care about whatever was going on around me. I wouldn't have to worry about Maggie hating her or Stiles freaking out about Maggie making rash decisions. I could just sit here, holding her close to me and be content.

"Can you turn the radio on. I'm about to fall asleep in your arms." Allison said rubbing at her face as I turned the radio on.

"I like it when you fall asleep in my arms." I kissed the top of her head.

"I don't. Every time I wake up, you're always gone. I hate that. I'd rather wake up with you." She said lacing her fingers with mine.

"You will, high school's only two more years." I reminded her.

"Which is hard enough for normal people to get through." She tensed slightly and I knew it was because she used the word normal. She always hated herself for pointing it out but I never minded.

"What would you say if I could be normal?" I asked and she moved her head to look up at me like she didn't want me to think that way.

"I've been thinking about it ever since Maggie and Lydia were in the hospital. Peter's blood brought back Maggie and it cured her but Peter also told Stiles that if an alpha bites you, you either turn or die, yet Lydia lived." I pointed out.

"Meaning what? I mean Maggie is a special case because of her bloodline but Lydia didn't get better or turn. She still has the claw marks healing as if they were from an actual mountain lion. Do you think maybe she's immune?" Allison questioned.

"I don't know, I mean if she is then doesn't that mean there could be a cure? Maggie has been taming her wolf and blocking it out but maybe there is something she can use to cure me. She does have Peter's blood in her now. Maybe we could figure it out? Would you want that?" I turned my body towards her and put my hand on her face.

"I want anything that lets me be with you and not just the end of high school or college. I want forever with you, Scott." She stared at me and I felt like she was confirming something I had felt since the moment I met her.

"I'm serious, Scott." She said and I just pulled her face towards mine.

"I know. I know." I kissed her lips and felt her grip my face. Ever since Chris Argent told me I couldn't see Allison anymore, I savored the moments we got to be intimate but it made me realize that every time I held her in my arms, kissed her lips or made love to her that I was holding onto my entire world. Nothing terrified me more than losing Allison and it felt more and more like our love was on borrowed time. I never wanted to waste a single moment.

**[Stiles POV]**

I couldn't think about anything except Maggie. The whole Jackson-Kanima crap was immediately bumped to the back of my mind when Scott told me that Maggie was moving out. It just didn't make sense. Why would Maggie move in with someone she barely knew when she could live with Scott and I? I tried not think about what happened last night. That couldn't be it. She was completely wasted, she even blacked out. There is no way that I made her feel so uncomfortable that she wanted to get away from me. I battled with that argument in my head for the whole drive and when I pulled up to the house I got a text from Scott not to make things worse with her. I put my phone on vibrate and walked inside hearing someone pacing on the floor. I tried to take a deep breath so I didn't get angry when I saw Maggie packing her stuff but as I rounded the corner I heard her sniffling.

"You don't have to creep up on me." Maggie called from inside her room. I rounded the corner and leaned on the door frame.

"I was trying to figured out if I should approach or not. You're clearly upset and I don't want to make things worse." I shoved my hands in my pockets and she wiped her face.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you. I've just...I've got a lot going on in my head right now and I can't seem to catch my breath." She said as I carefully entered her room that had a few boxes on the floor.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" I asked hopeful but she just shook her head. I pulled up a chair and sat in front of her.

"Can you at least tell me about this place? How far away is it? When are you actually moving out?" I started to run down the list of things without losing my temper.

"It's beautiful, right off Kinsey RD near the water. It's near the preserve about 20 minutes from here. Nathan and I are going to dinner tonight to talk about when I guess." She explained and I nodded. I couldn't think of anything to say so I just kept my eyes on the floor.

"What are you thinking about?" Maggie asked making me shake my head.

"The first night you stayed here. When you freaked out and couldn't sleep in here because you kept thinking about my mom and I ended up sleeping on the couch with you downstairs." I said looking up at her.

"Seems like a really long time ago. We've been through a lot in the past few months." She said as I looked at her fiddling with her hands.

"Yeah that's kinda why I'm a little confused by this sudden move. I guess I just figured that whatever was upsetting you that we could get through it...together." I pointed out but she didn't seem to be able to hold my eye contact.

"That's just it though, I've haven't had to depend on myself enough and maybe it's time I get the jump start to being able to take care of myself." The moment she said that, I feared it was because of last night. I covered my face with my hands and felt how hot my face was.

"Stiles?" She said my name but I couldn't bring myself to even try to look her in the eye.

"What? What's wrong?" She leaned forward and I pulled back.

"You remember don't you? The other night after the club." I said but she didn't say anything.

"Maggie, I'm sorry for taking advantage of you. I shouldn't have let things get carried away like that." I tried to apologize but I knew that words couldn't even begin to cover what had happened.

"Stiles, you think I'm moving out because of something that happened last night? I promise you that I barely remember anything but the headache I had. I just think it's time." I looked up and Maggie tilted her head to the side. I tried to see if she was lying but I wasn't like her and Scott. I couldn't use super hearing to check her heartbeat. I just had to take her word even though I felt like she was lying.

"Yeah sure. I just…I don't want you to go." I bit my lip and Maggie put her hand on mine.

"I won't be far and this will always be like home to me." I looked down at her hand on mine before she moved it away.

"Are you sure it's not because of the other night because I swear that if the circumstances were different, it would have definitely ended way better." I explained and she just smiled at me.

"The only thing I remember is you taking care of me so thank you." He cheek twinged and I knew it. She was lying. She remembered last night and she was clearly avoiding the subject. We sat in silence for a few moments before I cleared my throat.

"I guess I'll get some tape for the boxes and a marker." I rubbed my palms on my jeans as I stood up and Maggie shook her head without another word. She let me help her pack and tape the boxes up for almost two hours talking about the house and how Nathan bought some bar and was going to run it in order to support them. She kept looking at me whenever I said that it was cool because it was pretty much all I could think to say without freaking out. There was a lot of tension in the room. I didn't need super powers to feel it.

"I think that's enough for now. I've got to change before dinner with Nathan in a few so..." Maggie rocked on her feet and I shook my head walking out of the room.

"Stiles." She said my name and I stopped with my hand on the doorknob.

"Thank you...for everything." Maggie gave me a smile and I tried to return it but couldn't. I just pulled the door shut and walked into my room shutting the door. I sat down on my bed and tried to think about the situation. She couldn't possibly feel like she'd be more comfortable moving in with this guy. I mean he isn't an uncle really. He's the brother to an uncle by marriage, that so doesn't count.

"No...you know what? No. I know you can hear me and If I leave this room, I'm afraid I'll do something I regret so just listen." I said aloud knowing that Maggie could hear me through the walls.

"You said it wasn't because of last night and I'd like to believe that but I know you better than that. I know you'd rather save me the embarrassment of making a fool of myself or from scolding myself for taking advantage of you when you weren't in the right mind frame. You wouldn't just want to put this space between us randomly." I licked my bottom lip.

"If it's not those things...than it has to be because of what happened with Derek and that's not fair. We knew how much he was pulling on you and Scott reminded me every day not to pull on you or bad mouth him because something like this might happen and we didn't! We didn't pull! We never once asked you to choose between us and now we're still losing you and it's not...it's not fair Maggie." I got to my feet and paced my room.

"You don't belong with Nathan, you belong here...with me." The moment I said it, I regretted it.

"I don't want you to go." I felt a lump in my throat.

"The truth is...you've been standing on your own for a long time, its us that need you. I need you, Maggie. I just have this really bad feeling that once you leave, I'm going to lose a part of you and that scares the hell out of me." I let out a breath and could feel how pathetic it was that I was talking through the wall to her. I opened the door and saw that hers was cracked open.

"Maggie?" I pushed the door and saw that she had already changed and laid down. I chuckled at the situation.

"Of course. I'm pouring my guts out in the other room and you're taking a nap." I ran my hands down my face before pulling the quilt off the bottom of the bed and draping it over her. I leaned down and pushed her bangs off the side of her face, stroking the braid that rested on the side of her face. I thought about kissing her but rolled my eyes at how stupid that would be considering how stupid I had been last night. Instead I kissed her forehead and lingered by her ear.

"There will always be a home for you here." I whispered into her ear before standing up and looking around the room. I knew it was destined to be emptied again. I knew I had to wrap my head around it but it was starting to weigh me down. I shut Maggie's door and sent Scott a text about coming to check up on Jackson. I couldn't walk around my own house without knowing that the feeling of another hole would be left once Maggie had moved out, just like when my mom died. I drove to the preserve to see the back door of the van wide open.

"Oh no...no no no." I slowly peeked around the back and saw that the van was empty.

"Shit." I ran over to Allison's car to see Scott and Allison half naked and sleeping. I was really starting to get tired of this whole honeymoon phase. I knocked on the window and they both jumped, Scott tried covering Allison up.

"You guys might want to come take a look at this." I said letting them know how seriously annoyed I was. It took them a few minutes to pull themselves together but once they saw Jackson was gone, freak out mode started.

"I have to tell my father." Allison said making Scott start to walk towards the rocky edge of the preserve.

"Scott, he's going to kill someone." Allison sounded upset, like she was trying to explain herself but Scott shook his head.

"Okay, tell him everything." Scott still had his back to us.

"I've gotta tell mine too. It could put him in danger." I said not really sure how I was going to actually have that conversation.

"This is all my fault." Scott gritted out.

"It's not but we have to tell them. We're just a bunch of teenagers, we can't handle this." Allison was right. We were in way over our heads.

"No you're right." Scott relaxed his shoulders and Allison looked over at me.

"How are you going to make your dad believe all of this?" She questioned.

"I have no idea but if Jackson's loose then I need to call Maggie." I pulled out my phone and Scott turned around.

"Don't worry about your dad, he'll believe me." Scott's eyes were golden as he stared at the both of us.

"Could tonight get any worse?" I said aloud as we started to walk back to the jeep and I dialed Maggie's number.

**[Maggie's POV]**

_"There will always be a home for you here."_

_Stiles voice echoed in my head as I sat at the dining room table in my old house. There was a bright light shining through the windows and I took a deep breath._

_"You know he's right. You've made a home with the Stilinski's even though I'd preferred it had been with the McCalls considering how in love with Stiles you are." I felt a smile on my face as Karen walked out of the kitchen and sat down at the table._

_"Well I guess they didn't think it was fair to get stuck with me permanently." I teased but Karen narrowed her eyes._

_"Oh please, if Melissa and John finally got together they'd adopt you in a heartbeat." Karen said making me laugh._

_"What's on your mind baby?" Karen asked._

_"I need to know I'm making the right decision as far as Nathan is concerned. I don't even know him but you wanted me to trust him right?" I asked and Karen smiled._

_"I know him and he's a good man. Plus considering what's currently going on, I think it would be for the best." Karen stared at me and I felt a bit embarrassed._

_"You mean the stuff with Jackson being a giant werelizard or the whole...being pathetically in love with Stiles thing?" I asked and she pulled a face._

_"Werelizard? Really? I think Stiles is effecting more than just your heart." I had to laugh at Karen._

_"I miss you." I said trying not to get upset and making this a happy visit. She put her hand on my face and I closed my eyes._

_"I miss you too. We all do." She said reminding me that she was in good company._

_"But you have to start taking care of yourself. Stiles and Scott will always have your back but you need to be able to hold your own. Thing's are only bound to get darker and if the situation arises, you need to be able to fight." Karen explained._

_"I'm trying to clear my head enough to focus but it's just hard. Everything that's happened with everything that's going on, on top of the war between Derek and Scott...I just feel like I'm drowning." I admitted._

_"How about school?" Karen asked making me snort._

_"School? That's the last thing I'm worried about." I said but she continued to stare at me._

_"Are you kidding? Come on Karen. Look at all the things I'm dealing with-" She cut me off._

_"You've been dealing with too much since you were 12, Maggie. You can't just stop living because of it. School is important. Family and friends are important. I think moving in with Nathan will get you the head space you're looking for." Karen put her hand on mine and I turned my hand over to hold hers._

_"Derek hates me. He turned my friends into betas, Lydia is having a meltdown because of what Peter did to her, Scott is trying to manage everything that's going on and Stiles..." I stopped talking to take a deep breath._

_"Stiles is all over the place. I don't know what's going on with him." I shook my head but Karen smiled._

_"He's a teenage boy. I think all over the place fits pretty well." Karen chuckled._

_"I just wish you were still here. I just...I need you." I said almost desperately._

_"I'm never too far." She said but that wasn't good enough._

_"I should have stopped her. I should have been there." I wiped away the tear that slid out of my eye and Karen shook her head._

_"My death needed to happen so you could continue this journey. I'm sorry this is a family curse sweetheart but you couldn't have stopped my death and you can't blame other people for it." I looked at Karen confused and she made a face so I'd realize what she meant. I rolled my eyes._

_"Allison is not responsible for what happened. You cannot hold her families mistakes against her." Karen said._

_"When her family kills my family, I can. She was there that night with Kate...at the old Hale house. She was there with Kate to kill us all." I said._

_"But she didn't. Do you honestly think Allison would have gone through with that? Knowing what Scott means to her? Knowing that you were one of her first friends she made in Beacon Hills?" Karen reminded me. I sat back in the chair and Karen stood up._

_"You should know that one of the hardest things to do is choose between your friends and family. She's struggling with the same thing you faced as a kid. Do you remember how alone and confused you felt?" Karen asked. I hated that she was right. Allison wasn't with Kate when she hurt Karen. She hasn't made a move to hurt anyone else and as far as I can see she's actually trying to help Scott stay alive._

_"The people who have hurt you are still in your life for a reason. Allison, Lydia...Derek." I looked up at her and she put her hand on my chin._

_"They are the people who will need you the most. Don't let your heart fall into the darkness." Karen gave my chin a squeeze and I nodded my head._

_"You're going now aren't you?" I said feeling her pull away._

_"Yeah your phone is ringing but I want you to find a place where you can clear your mind. Stop and think a few things through, don't let the past influence your decisions. Be smart and protect your heart but don't be afraid to ask for help. We'll never be too far. Just listen to your heart and don't be afraid of what's in your head. Sometimes the best thing you can do is take a step back and give yourself a chance to breathe." Karen kissed my forehead and just like that, I was waking up to my phone ringing._

I sat up and pushed the blanket off of me to find my phone vibrating on the nightstand.

The caller ID said it was Stiles so I answered it.

"Hey, everything okay?" I asked clearing my throat.

"Um no actually." I sat up worried.

"Jackson got out of the van. We're heading to the police station. It's time to tell Dad." Stiles sounded worried.

"I'm on the way. I'll meet you guys there." I started pulling my boots on. I grabbed a jacket and got in my car heading towards the place station. I made sure to text Nathan before parking and walking in.

"Maggie Stevens." One of the officers said my name and pointed toward the door. They buzzed me back and I shuffled towards the Sheriff's office and caught sight of Stiles. His eyes went wide and he tried to gesture for me to do something but the Sheriff turned around.

"Maggie, you're just in time." Sheriff Stilinski opened the door to an interrogation room as I stood confused.

"In time for...?" I questioned but a man walked out looking annoyed going straight into the interrogation room. What I didn't expect was Jackson to follow him out of the Sheriff's office.

"In time for the fun." Jackson smirked. I put the pieces together pretty quickly as the Sheriff gestured for us to go into his office.

"Crap."


	7. Strength In Numbers

**[Allison's POV]**

I walked into my room trying to shake the feeling of dread about having to tell my dad about Jackson but I nearly jumped out of my skin when I flipped the light on and saw Lydia sitting on my bed.

"You scared the hell out of me." I said gripping my chest.

"I've been waiting here for over an hour." She pouted.

"I can't hang out right now." I dismissed her and she huffed.

"I don't need anyone to hang out with. I need someone to talk to." She get snippy and I just let out a sigh as I took off my scarf. I had so much on my plate right now with the bestiary and Scott telling the Sheriff about Jackson and having to tell my dad. I just couldn't listen to her ramble about hating Jackson right now.

"I understand it's important but it's going to have to wait." I dismissed her and she stood up.

"Why is everyone always telling me to wait? Why can't anyone have right now available?" She wined.

"You can't have everything right now!" I argued only making her pout more.

"Why is it that the only person that is available to talk to me is Maggie?" She said catching my attention.

"Wait what?" I asked. Lydia looked up confused.

"Maggie said that I could talk to her if I needed to talk to someone." Lydia explained sending me for a loop.

"I thought she hated you?" I questioned.

"Apparently not and I'm freaking out and I'd like to talk to you but you're more interested in why someone is talking to me but considering you've known her longer than me, you should already know the answer to that." Lydia freaked out on me and I threw my arms out.

"How should I know? She hates me now." I said seeing Lydia's face look unamused.

"Must you make this about you, Allison?" She picked and I just rolled my eyes.

"Look I need someone to translate 5 pages of Archaic Latin and there is no way I can talk right now." I explained hanging my coat and scarf up.

"I know Archaic Latin." She said simply.

"You know Archaic Latin? Just how smart are you?" I asked curiously.

"I'll make a deal with you. I'll translate the pages if you tell me more about Maggie and her family." I felt my eyebrows go up.

"Why do you want to know about Maggie?" I asked stepping back slightly.

"I know she's a witch. I want to know more about it, about what she's capable of, what her family is capable of. I want to know more about her father." Lydia let out a breath and I nodded my head.

"I don't know much about her family to be honest. Why are you suddenly so interested?" I pressed even though she looked disappointed in my answer.

"Just forget it. Let me see the pages." She held her arm out.

"Lydia-" She cut me off.

"Just forget it alright? Let me see the pages or I'm just going to go." She insisted and I wasn't going to lose the opportunity to get Lydia's help while she was offering it.

**[Maggie's POV]**

I was sitting on a bench in the hallway of the police station with Scott and Stiles on either side of me. Nathan came barreling around the corner and I jumped up unsure of why he was there. I guess I just figured that all the people who would punish me were already here. The idea was still kind of foreign to me that Nathan was actually the one responsible for me but I kept thinking of what Karen had said.

"Hey are you okay? Melissa called me." Nathan looked me up and down and I nodded.

"Yeah I'm fine it's just-" Before I could explain the Sheriff cleared his throat.

"Nathan, a word?" He gestured into the room and Nathan looked at me confused.

"You didn't steal anything did you?" Nathan whispered.

"Not...technically." He looked at me before letting out a sigh and following the Sheriff back into the interrogation room. John pointed at the three of us and told us not to go anywhere but when Scott's phone rang and he held it up to reveal it was Allison he gestured to an empty office. I followed mostly because Stiles kind of stopped behind me, allowing me to go into the room before him.

"Hey did you talk to your dad?" Scott asked putting her on speaker.

"No we have bigger problems. Lydia was here when I got home and she translated the pages for me. Apparently the kanima doesn't seek a friend, it seeks a master." She said making Scott look over at Stiles.

"Someone's controlling him." I said catching their attention.

"Exactly. If Jackson doesn't know what he's doing then someone has to be controlling him." Allison agreed.

"Or he doesn't remember." Scott leaned on the desk.

"What if it's the same kind of thing with you and Lydia when she took off from the hospital and you dreamed about going to the Hale house?" Stiles pointed at me.

"A fugue state." Allison said.

"But he'd have to forget everything." Scott looked at me and I shook my head.

"It was like a dream but I still felt the cold on my body, the thorns in my legs and the stone bruises on my feet. It's real and you feel it." I said trying to shake the thought.

"Someone had to help him though. We know that someone messed with that video tape. It had to be the person controlling him." Stiles spoke up.

"Are you sure Jackson still has no idea about any of this?" Allison asked sounding unconvinced.

"I talked to him in the van, he thinks he's becoming a werewolf and somehow being with Lydia delayed it or something." He rolled his eyes.

"Did Lydia asked you about what she translated?" I questioned hearing a pause on Allison's end.

"No but she did ask about you and your family." I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Why would she ask about that?" Scott shook his head.

"She's going through something. The bite might not have turned her but she's definitely going through something. I offered her help but she just kind of blew me off." I mentioned seeing how surprised Stiles looked.

"Well she asked about your dad too so maybe you should just keep your distance." Allison suggested.

"Yeah that's not strange or anything." Stiles widened his eyes but I tried not think about it.

"We need to focus on Jackson now. We have to get through to him before he kills someone else, the full moon is coming." I reminded them.

"Do you think he'll actually still talk to us after what we did to him?" Allison sounded unsure but Stiles shrugged.

"Of course he will, it's us." The door of the interrogation room opened the Sheriff Stilinski came out looking angry.

"Got to go, I'll call you." Scott hung up his phone and we turned to face John as he walked in.

"You three, in there, now." He practically growled pointing towards the other room. We filed out and sat down at the table. Melissa stood next to Nathan who looked slightly confused as Mr. Whittemore glared at the three of us.

"I don't know what the hell has gotten into you three but you're going to sit there quietly and listen as I read this. I don't want to hear one word." Sheriff warned as he picked up the clipboard from the table.

"You will not go within 50 feet of Jackson Whittemore. You will not speak to him, you will not approach him, you will not harass or assault him physically or psychologically." The Sheriff threw the clipboard on the table and we all kind of sat in silence for a few moments.

"What about school?" I asked growing too uncomfortable with the glares.

"You're going to attend while trying to maintain a 50 foot distance." John looked at me disappointed.

"What if we both have to use the bathroom at the same time and there's only two stalls available and they're right next to each other." Stiles asked making them all let out a sigh of annoyance and Scott and I cover our faces. Stiles looked around the room before seeing how enraged his dad was.

"I'll just hold it." Stiles breathed.

"Sign the damn form." John seethed. Scott quickly grabbed the clipboard to sign it and his mom pulled him up from the chair. Stiles followed suit before the Sheriff was doing the same and Jackson's father walked out towards the Sheriff's office to wait for him, no doubt to give him shit for how Stiles acted. Nathan sat down in a chair across from me as I signed the restraining order.

"So do you make it a habit to kidnap people or is this something adolescents are doing these days?" He asked making me almost too embarrassed to look up at him.

"No it's not new." I realized what I had implied and he pulled a face that screamed what have I gotten myself into.

"And no I don't kidnap people. Technically, I wasn't even apart of all this but I guess I'm guilty by association." I explained.

"Yeah I get that. Don't sweat it. That kid's dad is a tool so I can't imagine he's much better." Nathan shrugged making me feel a wave of relief. I could hear the Sheriff scolding Stiles and Melissa tearing Scott a new one in the hallway but Nathan was sitting her seemingly relaxed and surprisingly understanding.

"Thanks for being here. I really appreciate it." I said honestly but Nathan shook his head.

"Hey I told you before, we're family. I got your back." He winked at me before leaning back in the chair. I couldn't help but smile thinking that Karen was right. I could trust Nathan.

"But the next time you want to commit a crime or you know, be an accessory, give me a heads up. Okay? Okay." He gave me two thumbs up and I laughed as we stood up.

"Still hungry?" He asked.

"I could eat." I said walking into the hallway to see Stiles motioning to Scott as Melissa yelled at him. I hit his arm to stop him.

"How about I meet you at Mel's diner a few blocks over. I heard that place has good burgers." Nathan said catching Stiles attention.

"Yeah that works. I have my car so I'll just meet you over there." I gave him a smile as he went out of the fire exit.

"What was he doing here?" Stiles asked me.

"He's my guardian, Stiles. It's sort of his job now." I crossed my arms over my chest and could feel Stiles staring.

"You're grounded!" Melissa said making Scott sigh.

"What about work?" Scott questioned.

"Fine other than work but no TV." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"My TV's broken." Scott admitted.

"Then no computer." She followed up.

"I need the computer for school." I felt a headache coming on as Scott went back and forth with his mom.

"Then uh..." She glanced back at us as we stood in the doorway.

"No Stiles." She said making Stiles tense.

"What?! No Stiles?" Stiles moved towards her to argue but she put her hand up.

"NO STILES!" She yelled making him fall back next to me silently.

"And no more car privileges, give me your keys." She held her hand out and Scott looked like he was going to say something but Melissa stopped him.

"GIVE ME YOUR KEYS!" Scott rifled through his pocket and handed the keys over watching as she struggled to get the key off the ring. Scott finally took her hands in his and she let out a sigh.

"What is going on with you? Is this about Allison?" She asked desperately.

"Do you really wanna know?" Scott asked and Stiles started shaking his head at him. When Scott looked at us I hit Stiles in the stomach making him stop.

"Is this about your father?" She whispered and I could hear Scott's heart skip a beat. Stiles nodded his head at Scott again and I grabbed him by the shirt.

"Will you cut it out!" I gritted.

"Look, I'll go get the car and we'll talk about this at home." We watched Melissa walk out the police station and Scott's head hung.

"I'm the worst son ever." I put my hand on his arm and gave it a squeeze.

"Yeah well I'm not winning any awards either." Stiles looked into his father's office and saw Jackson's dad verbally attacking his father.

"By the way, why the hell am I banned and not Maggie? I mean how come she doesn't get banned?" Stiles argued bitterly.

"Because she lives with us." Scott sighed.

"For now." I added making them both look at me.

"I've actually got to get going. I'm having dinner with Nathan but I'll be at your place tonight." I looked at Scott and he nodded. Stiles seemed speechless but I figured it was best to just leave before there was anymore trouble. Jackson smirked at me from a chair by the front doors and I eyed him. If he really knew what he was doing to these people, would he be able to live with that weight? I still didn't understand how taking a life could be so simple to some people. It plagued my mind the short drive over to the diner to meet Nathan. He waved me over to the booth he was sitting in and I sat down across from him.

"So I was going to order you something but it occurred to me pretty quickly that I don't know that much about you personally. I mean I know what Louis and Karen would say but that's like trivial, she's got A's in French and she really wants a dog, sorta thing." Nathan said as I smiled at Mrs. Tina.

"Hey sweetheart, the usual?" She said from behind the counter.

"Yeah thanks Mrs. Tina." I waved as she walked back into the kitchen. Nathan laughed before shaking his head.

"Sometimes I come here to do homework. It's quiet and Tina thinks I'm too thin. Plus the turkey club is pretty good." I shrugged.

"So you eat meat and are a creature of habit, off to a good start." He said sipping his drink.

"What exactly do you want to know?" I asked unsure of just how much Nathan knew about our lives. He gave me a soft smile and relaxed his face.

"I'm not here to question you, Maggie. I know what you are. Well sort of. I know that you're special in the supernatural sense but as far as all of those details are concerned, I'm pretty jaded." He lowered his tone.

"Would you like to be unjaded? I mean I can tell you what I know but even I'm still trying to figure it all out." I admitted.

"You don't have to tell me about all of that. I guess I should know for future reference but how about you just tell me about you. Thing's you like, thing's you don't like, your friends. If we happen to stumble into the weird stuff then great but I'd like to get to know my niece first." Nathan said as Tina brought our food out. I tried to hide a smile but Nathan spotted it and furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"It's nothing just...I think this is the most normal thing I've done in a really long time." I said and it was. I couldn't remember a time where I could sit down with someone and have a meal to just tell them about myself, not my family troubles or werewolves and witches. Just me. Nathan and I talked for a few hours taking in as much as we could about each other. I found out that it was yoga that kept him zen and that he enjoyed working on the water because it made him feel like he had ties all over the world instead of just in one place. He thought it was cool that I loved music as much as I did and I promised to make him a mix. I didn't realize it as we talked but it was the clearest my head had been since pulling out of that coma.

**[Derek's POV]**

I paced through the rail car getting thing's ready for the full moon coming up but Isaac and Erica followed me around like mosquitoes, questioning every decision I made. I hadn't heard from Maggie since the other night but I refused to budge on how I felt as far as she's concerned. She had made the decision to help Scott and his band of misfits but the only person it was hurting was her.

"Why do we need their help and do you honestly think they're going to help us after the other night?" Isaac asked as he followed.

"Because it's harder to kill then I thought and I still don't know for sure who it is." I explained for what seemed like the millionth time.

"And you think they do?" Isaac snorted.

"Maybe, which is why I need one of you to get on their good side." I turned towards them and Erica shook her head.

"Scott or Stiles?" Erica asked making my eyebrows go up.

"Was that supposed to be your slick way of avoiding bringing Maggie up?" Isaac asked making her shove him.

"Either one of them will do but I want you both to stay away from Maggie." I informed earning shocked faces.

"Derek, you know the full moon is coming up right?" Isaac stepped up behind me as I opened the box I had brought from the house.

"I'm aware of that which is why I want you away from Maggie. She doesn't know her own strength or how to control it yet. She thinks she can suppress it but on a full moon nothing is going to be able to keep the wolf from coming out." I explained feeling their eyes boring holes into me.

"Shouldn't we be trying to help her too then?" Isaac pressed.

"Maggie made her decision and I've made mine. Stay away from her or you'll get yourself killed." I raised my voice.

"You said you would teach us to change whenever we want. If you lock us up during the full moon then that means you're alone against the Argent's. Maggie would be alone against the Argent's." Isaac was getting on my last nerve as he whined.

"Let her tear those idiots apart then and the Argent's aren't our first priority. They still haven't found us yet." I started to walk away but Erica grumbled.

"How about we forget about the damn Kanima!" Isaac yelled making me growl as I turned around.

"WE CAN'T! There was something about the way Gerard looked at it. He wasn't afraid. I don't know what he knows or what he's planning but if we don't find it first it could kill us all." I tried to get them to understand but Boyd came through the door and looked at me surprised.

"What are you doing here? You're supposed to be keeping an eye on Maggie." I asked and he shook his head.

"She's not doing anything. She's having dinner with her uncle. She's texted me telling me to stop spying on her so I didn't really have much of a choice." Boyd explained throwing his duffel on the floor.

"How come Boyd gets to be near Maggie but we don't?" Isaac asked crossing his arms over his chest like a 5 year old.

"Because Boyd knows how to maintain a safe distance. I don't need either of you getting emotional about it." I said looking between him and Erica.

"You know it's okay to admit that you care about her. She is family even though you think she's somehow betrayed you." Erica softened a bit and I chuckled.

"That's exactly why I sent Boyd." I pointed at Erica before walking up the stairs and out of the railcar to get some air. I had no idea what to expect with Maggie turning this full moon. I didn't have a whole lot of sources to check in with and the only people I could ask about it were Deaton and Maggie but I wasn't about to do that. I got a moment of peace before Boyd walked up next to me.

"You know that I agreed to watch Maggie to protect her and make sure she was alright, not to spy on her right? I respect you and this gift you've given me but I'm not your watch dog. I care about Maggie enough to watch her back while you struggle to make things right with yourself." Boyd wasn't afraid of me like Erica and Isaac were. He seemed to have a healthy respect but it's like he's become my Sergent of arms.

"Thank you." I said looking over at him and he nodded his head. I couldn't be near Maggie right now but that didn't mean I stopped caring about her. I trusted Boyd to be there for her while I tried to figure out a way to protect the pack from this deadly creature and the Argent's. I didn't have time to make nice with Maggie. I was too busy trying to keep us all alive.

**[Maggie's POV]**

I ended up spending the night on Nathan's boat and getting a late start the next morning. We talked most of the night about my childhood in Beacon Hills and he showed me some old pictures of him and Louis. I even showed him a little bit of the simple magic I could do. Nathan was impressed but worried other people seeing so he made me promise to be careful. I was too tired to drive back to Scott's house so I just crashed in a spare cabin. It was weird how calming the water was but I was in an instant rush getting back to Scott's and changing. Stiles had texted me 6 times trying to figure out where I was and why I wasn't at school. I slid into the school and spotted Allison at her locker.

"Hey." I said opening my locker. She looked surprised I even said something to her, looking over her shoulder as if I was addressing someone behind her.

"H-hey. Um is everything okay?" Allison asked cautiously.

"Yeah just got off to a late start today. How about you?" I asked making her shut her locker.

"I'm actually on the way to meet Scott and Stiles...are you like talking to me now?" Allison asked confused. I shut my locker and shrugged.

"I appreciate you covering for me with Lydia. I want to help her but my family tree massacre would probably be more of a horror story than an informative talk." I fixed my bag on my shoulder as we walked down the hallway towards the library. She opened the door and we both walked out of view of the camera. Scott looked surprised to see me standing next to Allison as she pulled out her tablet and passed it through the bookshelf to Scott.

"Where the hell were you last night?" Stiles asked looking at me but Scott elbowed him.

"Where are we at with all of this?" I asked looking around to make sure the coast was clear.

"Other than Lydia being even more confused? I'd say we're pretty screwed if we don't figure out who's controlling Jackson." Allison looked at me as Scott read the tablet.

"What did you tell Lydia?" Scott asked glancing over.

"I told her we were apart of an online gaming community that battles mythical creatures." Scott and I chuckled at Allison's response.

"I am apart of an online gaming community that battles mythical creatures." Stiles said completely serious.

"Oh...great." Allison bit her lip as Stiles blinked blankly at us.

"Enough about your weirdo cosplay kinky time, do we have any leads on who could be controlling Jackson?" Stiles mouth opened up.

"Hey it's not a cosplay kink! It's a gaming community!" Stiles defended.

"Oh yeah? Do all the characters have clothes on?" I asked knowing the weird gaming forums always had a smutty section.

"I think we're getting a little off topic here." Allison spoke up when Stiles didn't.

"I'm actually curious about the answer to that question." Scott smirked looking between Allison and Stiles. Allison gave him a look and he cleared his throat quickly changing the subject. I caught Stiles testing glare though.

"Does it say how we can pinpoint who it might be?" Scott asked.

"No but Stiles was right about the murders. They call the Kanima a weapon of vengeance." Stiles silently celebrated making me roll my eyes at him as Allison explained further.

"Yeah high five for you being right about that." I said making his shoulders slump.

"Is it pick on Stiles Day and no one told me?" He whined.

"There's a story in there about a South American priest who uses the Kanima to execute murderers in his village." Allison pulled a book off the shelf to make herself look busy.

"See then maybe it's not as bad as we thought." Stiles pointed out.

"Until the bond got so strong it killed whoever he wanted it to." She added.

"All bad. All very very bad." Stiles joked.

"Here's the thing though, the Kanima is actually supposed to be a werewolf-" The librarian came around the corner and I pulled a book down.

"I think that would be great for mythology week in book club." I cut her off making her glance back. Once she walked away Allison gave me a nod.

"Until it resolves what's in it's past that manifests it." Scott finished her sentence.

"Yeah raise your hand if you don't think Jackson needs about a few thousand hours of therapy." Stiles insisted.

"What about his parents? Wasn't he adopted?" I asked making them all look at me.

"Does anyone actually know what happened to them?" Scott asked.

"Lydia would." Stiles said firmly.

"Then you should talk to her. Someone should be with her today anyway. I need to talk to her but I've got a few things I need to take care of myself." I adjusted my bag on my shoulder.

"Well I don't have a restraining order against me so I can talk to Jackson." Allison put the book back on the shelf and Scott passed her the tablet.

"What am I supposed to do?" He shrugged.

"Don't you have a makeup exam?" I reminded earning an unpleasant face from Scott. Allison put her hand on Scott's and I saw the tension leave his body.

"If he does something crazy then you take off, got it?" Scott warned.

"I can take care of myself." Allison said firmly.

"Allison, if you get hurt while I'm taking some stupid test then someone's going to need to take care of me. If he does anything weird, bizarre, anything-" Stiles cut Scott off.

"Anything evil." I shoved Stiles face back through the shelves.

"Look, you need to not flunk out so go take your test. I just need to collect some make up work for Boyd and I'll have Allison's back. Everyone cool with that plan?" I offered and the three of them looked surprised.

"I'm good with that. Now go and take your test and stop worrying about me." Allison said giving him a reassuring smile.

"Scott...I won't let her get hurt. Go." I nodded towards the door and he took a deep breath before Stiles gripped his shoulders and led him towards the doors.

"Do you mind going with me to get Boyd's work and then we'll go look for Jackson?" I asked as we waited long enough for Scott and Stiles to get a head start out before checking out a random book.

"You don't have to go with me." She brushed it off as we walked out of the library.

"I told Scott I'd go with you and seeing as how bodies keep piling up, it won't hurt to have some backup." We walked down the hallway awkwardly.

"Maggie, we haven't exactly been B.F.F's since...well you know. Why do you suddenly want to talk to me again? I mean I understand trying to appease Scott but-" I cut her off.

"Would you believe that I just had a change of heart? I don't have an angle here, Allison. I just...reevaluated where my lines of strife are and they're not with you." I smiled as I backed into Boyd's homeroom. I figured if she believed me then she'd wait and if not I'd just use my annoying sense of smell to find her but after retrieving the assignments she was waiting against the lockers.

"Lydia said he was heading towards the locker room. We should get going." She smiled slightly and I nodded my head following her. I spotted Jackson rounding the corner away from the Bio lab and Allison slipped her shoes off to stop the added noise. We heard the locker room door open and close and I glanced around the corner to see he had gone in.

"I'll go in. You watch the door." Allison said as we looked down each hallway.

"You want me to send you in there by yourself? How can I watch your back if I can't actually see your back?" I asked as Allison reached for the doorknob but when the door flung open we both jumped.

"Whoa! You scared the hell out of me." It was Matt. He eyed the both of us but I knew he had a thing for Allison. Danny was complaining about it the whole time we danced that night at the club.

"We were just...nevermind." Allison tried to cover but Matt didn't seem to care. I felt eyes watching me from behind and picked up the scent of leather and a specific cologne.

"Will you excuse me for a moment." I said as Matt chatted up Allison. I walked around the corner slowly and was pulled into an empty classroom roughly.

"If Derek insists on you guys following me around, can you at least try harder to not look so obvious. There are cameras in the school now." I said as Isaac stood in front of me.

"I didn't come here because Derek wanted me to, I came here to talk to you." He said staring down at me. I put my arm out pushing him at least an arms length away and he put his hands up in surrender.

"Talk about what? How you attacked Stiles or tried to kill Lydia? How about how you played me trying to get me to join the pack?" The moment I said it he stepped forward making me push him back again.

"I didn't play you! Yes I attacked Stiles and I was only going to kill Lydia because Derek said she was a threat to us all but what happened between us wasn't any sort of game. Derek practically broke me in half for even asking if I could take you out." Isaac explained but I kept my guard up.

"It doesn't matter now. I need to be out there with Allison." I went to open the door but Isaac stopped me.

"You don't believe me. I'm telling you the truth Maggie. I wouldn't do that to you. I...I care about you." He touched my face and I turned my head.

"Isaac..." Before I could say anything he leaned down and caught my lips. I backed into the door and felt his hand on my hip. I kissed back for a moment and moved my hands up to wrap around the back of his neck. I ran my fingers through the back of his hair and felt him wrapping his arms around my back to lift me off my feet. My back hit the door and Isaac bit my lip. That's when I became very aware of the rising heartbeats in my head.

"Isaac...you've gotta stop. You can't just keep doing this." I pushed against him and he moved his lips down my neck.

"Doing what?" Isaac tested licking my neck.

"Kissing me one minute and attacking people I care about the next." I felt my eyes flutter and I felt something animalistic in my stomach dying to ravish Isaac right then and there. It had to be the full moon coming up. I'd never felt my nerves so raw before.

"Do you really want me to stop?" His breath on my neck made something inside of me ache and I felt my throat vibrating.

 _"You can't tell Derek, alright? Just because you got the whole Alpha bite makeover doesn't mean you get to go around destroying people."_ I heard Stiles voice and I snapped out it. I pushed Isaac back and his eyes sprang wide unsure of what was going on.

 _"Why not?! That's all anyone ever did to me."_ Erica was outside talking to Stiles and I opened the door catching both their attention.

"What are you doing here? You're supposed to be with Derek." Erica said but Stiles fists clenched.

"I was just checking on Maggie." Isaac cleared his throat and Erica shook her head before gesturing for him to get lost. I pulled him aside and Stiles huffed turning back to Erica.

"Look, I'm not really in the position to jump into anything right now and the way things are going with me and Derek..." I hugged my arms around myself and Isaac smiled.

"I'm not looking for you to go steady Maggie. I just want you to believe me when I say the thing's I feel for you are real. I don't have a motive and I'm here if you need a friend." His dimples came out as he smirked and I shook my head.

"Get out of here." I said watching him run towards the exit just before classes started to end. I turned towards Erica and Stiles to see them staring at the floor. Before I could even walk towards them Scott burst out onto the floor and Jackson quickly followed trying to grab him up.

"HEY!" I ran towards them as Stiles pulled Scott up from the floor and tried to hold him back.

"SCOTT!" Stiles yelled to calm him down and Erica grabbed Jackson by his neck to hold him back. I noticed Allison slide out behind Scott looking frazzled and I touched her arm.

"Are you okay?" I asked her and she shook her head.

"NO! He attacked her!" Scott growled as he slipped on the water that was on the floor. Stiles readjusted his grip on Scott and looked over at me as I put my hand on his chest to calm him down.

"You need to calm down!" I said sternly but Stiles eyes went wide.

"Maggie, your hands." He pointed out my nails and they were extended like claws. I jerked my hand back just as Mr. Harris came around the corner.

"What the hell is going on? ENOUGH!" Harris stood between us all and Stiles let go of Scott.

"CALM DOWN JACKSON! Mr. McCall, you want to explain yourself? Ms. Stevens? I didn't think so." Harris glared at all of us as Matt walked up.

"You dropped this." I reached out to grab it but Harris snatched it away.

"You and you...actually all of you, detention 3:00." Harris stormed off thrusting the tablet at me.

"How is it possible that I'm always getting in trouble when I wasn't even involved!?" I said aloud as he rounded the corner and Jackson pushed Erica off of him as he went back into the locker room.

"Where the hell were you?" Scott gritted his teeth at me and Erica moved closer but I put my hand up to stop her.

"Scott it's not her fault." Allison defended me.

"You said you would have her back but you reek of Isaac. I trusted you to keep her safe, Maggie! She could have really gotten hurt." Scott stood up straight and walked past me. Stiles followed him and I could tell Allison wanted to but couldn't because of the cameras.

"He doesn't mean that. He's just-" I cut Allison off.

"He's right. I messed up and I'm sorry. Are you okay?" I asked sincerely. Allison shook her head and fixed her hair. I suddenly got a splitting headache and saw flashes of Lydia talking to a boy.

"Maggie? Maggie are you alright?" Allison asked as I backed into Erica.

 _"I want to talk to you...actually I want to show you something. Make sure to bring that flower."_ A boy with brown hair was talking to Lydia and she seemed to know him somehow.

"Maggie!" Erica's voice snapped me out of it and the headache lightened.

"What was that about?" Allison asked being careful not to touch me.

"I have no idea. I keep having these visions." I rubbed my eyes.

"Visions of what?" Erica pressed and I looked around the hallway.

"Lydia." The three of us looked at each other as I tried to shake off the ache in my temple.

**[Stiles POV]**

I followed Scott to the bathroom as he pulled himself together. Allison texted me letting me know she was okay and I texted her back letting her know that Scott was too.

"Allison said she's fine and she's with Maggie." I read the text and Scott rolled his eyes.

"Yeah that's comforting. Remind me again when she started getting along with Allison again." He dried his hair with paper towels and put his hoodie under the hand dryer.

"She walked out of an empty classroom with Isaac. What the hell were they doing though?" I said out loud.

"Probably making out." Scott looked over at me realizing what he said and I bit my lip.

"I'm sorry man, I didn't mean that. Who knows what they were doing. I don't know what's going on with her anymore lately. It's like she's a completely different person." Scott made me think. Maggie had been making all these irrational decisions lately and now she suddenly is wishy washy with how she suddenly felt about Allison. Something just didn't add up. Scott finished drying himself off and fixing his clothes when we headed to the library for detention. Maggie rubbed her head sitting down across from Erica, Allison moved towards a table with Matt and Jackson and Scott moved to sit next to Erica but Jackson spoke up.

"I can't be in detention with them. I have a restraining order on these tools." Jackson smirked.

"All of these tools?" Harris asked unamused.

"Just us." I raised my hand. Harris gestured for us to sit at another table and Jackson's smirk left his face quickly.

"Stevens too." Jackson grumbled making Maggie lift her head.

"Just sue me." She massaged her temples as Harris decided to just leave it alone. I could tell Scott was fuming as Jackson sat smugly with Allison even after having attacked her.

"I'm gonna kill him." Scott seethed, limbs bouncing around on the table.

"No you're going to find out who's controlling him and save him remember? That was the plan." I reminded him and he shook his head.

"No you were right, let's kill him." I shook my head at him and glanced at Maggie. Erica was whispering to her as she continued to rub at her head.

"Did we miss something with Maggie?" I asked making Scott turn around to see her wincing.

"Whatever it was, I didn't do it." Scott put his arms up. I rolled my eyes at him and looked over towards Allison. Matt was sitting there nonchalantly eating chips but something was off about him.

"What about Matt? It could be him. I mean it all comes back to the video right and it was his camera." I pointed out.

"Danny said Matt found the two hours of footage missing though." Scott said but I couldn't shake the bad vibes he was giving me.

"Yeah but that's simple misdirection. He wants us to think he helped us but really he is behind it all." I narrowed my eyes at him earning a laugh from Scott.

"So he makes Jackson kill Isaac's dad, one of Argent's men and a mechanic working on your jeep?" Scott questioned.

"Yes!" I said without doubts.

"Why?" He shook his head.

"Because...he's evil." I cut my eyes at him as he offered Jackson some chips.

"Seriously? You just don't like him." Scott said making me shrug.

"I don't know what it is, the guy just bugs me. Just look at his face." Scott and I both stared at him but he wasn't taking my accusation seriously.

"Any other bright theories?" Scott asked but we all jumped when Maggie groaned. Harris jumped up and looked at her.

"What's going on? Did you hit your head?" He reached forward to touch her but Maggie's head shot up and back stopping him.

"I'm fine...just a migraine." She took a deep breath and looked over at Allison. Jackson suddenly got to his feet and grabbed his backpack.

"Jackson you don't look good either." All of his attention went to Jackson and I moved to get up.

"Stay in your seat, Stilinski." Maggie looked up and put her hand up trying to tell me she was okay but she wasn't.

"Something's wrong." I whispered and Scott kept his eyes on her.

"I just need some water." Jackson bolted from the room and Harris looked at us.

"No one leaves their seat." Harris followed Jackson out of the door and I got up to sit next to Maggie.

"What's going on? Are you alright?" I touched her hand but she pulled away from me.

"I feel like I'm caught in a latch with Lydia or something. It's nothing personal I just don't want my brain to feel anymore ripped in two then it already feels." Maggie eyed me. Scott reached over and put his hand on Maggie's and when she tried to pull away he gripped tighter. His veins turned black and Maggie let out a sigh of relief before daring a glance at him.

"I'm pissed but I don't hate you." Scott said before looking at Erica.

"Stiles said you know how Jackson's parents died." Scott let go of Maggie and once she gave Erica a nod she looked at Scott.

"It was a car accident. My dad was the insurance investigator. Apparently he's going to get a huge settlement when he turns 18." Erica shrugged.

"So Jackson's rich now but gets richer when he turns 18? What the hell is wrong with the world?" I shook my head. Scott looked back at Allison as Erica opened her laptop.

"I can hack my dad's email and see if he's got the insurance report. He keeps everything." Erica started typing away on her laptop.

"Would he keep something that old though?" I questioned.

"He keeps his mistresses on speed dial. Trust me, he'll have it." She said bitterly.

 _"Scott McCall, please report to the principal's office. Scott McCall to the principal's office."_ Allison's mom came over the loud speaker and he looked terrified.

"What did I do?" Scott whispered to me.

"You mean other than wreck the locker room and get into a fight? You were just kind of staring at Allison." Scott looked worried as he got up and walked towards the door. Maggie straightened up in her seat and looked at me.

"I'm fine." She brushed it off but I had my doubts. Apparently she could read my body language because she let out a heavy sigh.

"What? What's on your mind Stiles?" She pressed.

"Nothing, you just keep saying you're fine but you just keep doing all these things to make it seem otherwise." I said honestly. Erica glanced up from her laptop but I didn't look at her. I kept my eyes in Maggie.

"I know you're still upset about me moving out-" I cut her off.

"Moving out with a guy you barely know because it's what Karen wanted, hating Allison one day and then saying you'll protect Allison just so you can end up making out with a guy who tossed me around like a rag doll not too long ago." I tried to reel it in because I realized how bitter I sounded by the end of it but Maggie just took it.

"I was there that night that Derek made you feel like shit. Scott and I were there trying to convince you that it would be okay but you just keep pushing us away like it was us who told you that you weren't family. You keep pushing me away and honestly I have no idea what I did wrong..." Erica cut me off before Maggie could respond.

"I found it. Passengers arrived at the hospital DOA, June 15th 1995." Erica read as I looked at the paper on her laptop.

"Jackson's birthday is June 15th." I said running my hand over my head. Harris stood up and started packing his bag. We all started doing the same only for him to laugh at us.

"Oh yes I'm leaving but you all can leave once you shelve all these. Have a wonderful evening." He patted the packed book shelves. I dropped my bag back on the table and we all stood up to start working. Scott came stumbling back into the library looking like he'd seen a ghost.

"Everything okay?" Allison asked from the book shelf. Scott went the long way around and still seemed jumpy like someone was watching him.

"Anything new on Jackson?" Scott rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yeah apparently his mom had a C-section after she died so they basically pulled him out of his dead mom." I explained seeing him pull a face.

"But was it an accident or not?" Allison asked as Maggie came back around from the other shelf.

"The word all over the report was inconclusive." I said as Scott leaned on the shelf.

"So they could have been murdered? That falls into the kanima myth right?" Scott pointed out.

"Yeah but is that true for Jackson or the person controlling him?" Allison pitched Maggie rubbed her head again.

"Are you having visions again?" Allison asked concerned.

"They keep trying to force through. I need to find Lydia." Maggie said trying to shake the bad vibes off.

"Well the first thing we need to do is tell Jackson even if he doesn't want to believe us, we have to make him aware." Scott rounded the corner and I shook my head. Maggie's body suddenly straightened out and her eyes glowed green like the time we brought her back.

"DOWN!" She grabbed Allison and I and pulled us to the ground just as something hit the ceiling lights above us causing sparks and debris to fly.

"ERICA!" Scott yelled and Erica growled. Maggie got up from the floor and tried to move towards the next aisle but I stopped her. Allison got up to follow her but the fixtures started to fall and I tackled Allison backwards to avoid getting hit.

"STAY DOWN!" She yelled desperately before something shot around the corner and knocking her to the ground. Scott was quick to drag her out of the way and back next to us. Maggie had been hit in the head with a light fixture and was now bleeding.

"We need to get Erica!" She yelled fighting him. I made sure to cover Allison's head with my arms and she gripped my forearm to keep from falling over. Maggie and Scott jumped to their feet only to be face to face with Jackson but it wasn't Jackson. He was mid change into the monster we'd seen fully scaled out and somehow he seemed more terrifying half possessed. It snarled at the both of them and swatted Maggie back into the bookcase in the aisle Erica was in and shoved Scott into another, knocking it over. Scott shook it off before rushing over to Allison and I.

"Maggie?!" I called out hoping she was alright.

"I'm fine." She called back but I knew something was wrong. We watched Jackson's body walk towards the black board and start to write something as if whatever was controlling him was using his body to send us a message that read: Stay out of my way or I'll kill you all. I felt a panic wash over me before he jumped out of the window leaving us and the library in shambles. I got up and ran around the aisle to look at Maggie who had rolled into the aisle where Matt was. Blood was running down the side of her face and she had a piece of splintered wood sticking out of her thigh.

"Jesus! Why aren't you healing?" I panicked as she looked at the ceiling trying to pull the wood out of her leg and slapping her hand down on the floor next to her when she couldn't.

"The head wound. I can't heal it. You need to pull it out of my leg...please." She looked at me and I reached down seeing how shaky my hands were as I gripped the wood from the shelf.

"Ready? 1...2..." I yanked the wood out and she cried throwing her head back.

"DAMNNIT!" She bit her bottom lip as ripped a piece of my black shirt off to tie around her wound.

"I'm sorry just keep pressure on it." I said putting my shaky hand up to the wound on her head. She reached up and grabbed my hand to stop me.

"Check on Erica." She said out of breath as Scott ran over to her. I got up and looked at Erica who was twitching madly on the floor.

"Whoa whoa HEY! She's having a seizure!" I picked Erica up off the floor and she twitched violently in my arms. Scott gestured for Allison to check on Matt as he ran towards me. The aftermath of the attack had my heart racing so fast, there was no way Scott and Maggie couldn't hear it.

**[Allison's POV]**

I checked Matt's pulse and Maggie shifted out of the way.

"He's alive!" I yelled seeing Scott and Stiles trying to help Erica on the other side of the bookshelf.

"How bad is she?" Maggie asked looking pretty worn out.

"She needs to go to the hospital." Stiles said quickly as she struggled in his arms.

"D-derek. Only to Derek." Erica said making Scott look over at me. After the earlier attack from Jackson, I couldn't help but think he was right. Scott wasn't a born wolf. He was eventually going to need Derek and if Derek hated my family then how long would it take for Scott to not need me? How long would our love be able to hold up to the pressures that now surround us?

"Go." I said making them all look at me. Scott shook his head before running over to me, making Stiles call after him.

"I'm staying here with you." He said but looking over at Stiles holding Erica, I knew he needed to go.

"He can't take her alone, not like that and I've got to have call an ambulance for Matt." I explained quickly but Scott still wouldn't leave.

"This doesn't feel right-" I cut him off.

"It's okay." I tried to reassure him but he kept fighting me.

"No! I'm not going to leave you." He touched my face and I tried to fight the growing pain in my chest that was telling me Jackson was wrong.

"I-it doesn't mean anything." I said knowing he could hear my lie.

"It feels like it does-" This time Maggie spoke up.

"Scott...Erica needs help. I won't let you down this time but you have to go...please?" We both looked at Maggie and Scott clenched his jaw. Scott kissed my head before getting up quickly to take Erica out of Stiles arms and carry her out. Stiles topped and looked back at Maggie only for her to give him a nod. I could tell he didn't want to go as much as Scott but we didn't have many options. My phone beeped and it was a message from my mom telling me that she'd called for a medic and not to say anything to the police.

"My mom called the paramedics. Are you going to be healed by then?" I asked Maggie as she let out a sigh.

"Once my head wound heals I can heal my leg. If I can't get it to fix by the time they get here then I'll just let them do there thing." She said leaning her head down.

"You didn't have to stay with me. I can take care of myself. Scott just needs to understand thing's aren't how they used to be." I said swallowing the lump in my throat. She looked up at me with just her eyes and tilted her head sideways.

""It's not about Scott. It's about us, all of us. We've all had hardships that we've had to deal with, families that aren't exactly ordinary but that doesn't make it our faults." Maggie kept her eyes on me and I felt a tear escape my eye. I quickly wiped it away.

"I don't know what you're thinking right now but I do know that Scott's love for you is as deep as it can get. He will never be able to let you go or turn his back on you. Never." The doors to the library opened and I nodded my head at her as my mom came rushing in with paramedics.

"Allison, are you okay?" Mom ran over and eyed Maggie.

"I'm fine but Matt is hurt and so is Maggie." I explained.

"What the heck happened in here?" The paramedic asked but my mom stopped her glaring at Maggie long enough to answer.

"Can we please get them taken care of first." My mom helped me up and pulled me aside as the paramedics looked over Matt and Maggie.

"Do you mind explaining to me what went on in here? It's bad enough I have to cover for Scott causing thousands of dollars worth of damage earlier but now you are at the root of this." She gestured around us.

"This wasn't my fault." I said but she shook her head.

"It's time to grow up Allison. Stop the childish games and the lying. Performance reflects leadership, I will not have you making this family look weak." She marched out of the library and I stood there stunned as they loaded Maggie and Matt up on stretchers. I followed them to the hospital and waited for news on Matt's condition only to find out he had a concussion. Maggie came limping out of one of the rooms and Ms. McCall told her to wait for Scott to come get her. She plopped down next to me and let out a sigh.

"How did everything go?" I asked curiously.

"Luckily my head wound healed before Melissa showed up otherwise I'd have to find a really good makeup artist." Maggie said with a weak smile.

"Good. Matt has a concussion but he'll be fine. I figured I'd wait and make sure you were alright before heading out." I rubbed my palms on my legs and she watched me closely.

"You didn't have to do that but thank you. Are you going to be alright?" She asked me making hold my head up high.

"I'll be fine." I said confidently and she shook her head.

"I know you will be. Your mom was wrong...in the library. You're the strongest girl I've ever met Allison. Don't let anyone convince you otherwise. Keep fighting and stop over thinking. Scott's going to need you." Maggie stood up and started to limp towards the doors.

"Where are you going?" I asked standing up.

"I need to find Lydia. I don't know what her sudden interest in me is about but it's gotta mean something. There is some sort of connection between us and I feel like if I don't figure it out...she could get really hurt. I'm not willing to let that happen again." Maggie turned and kept walking.

"Hey Maggie...thanks for today...for having my back." I said firmly. She nodded her head at me before pushing through the doors and making an exit before Ms. McCall came back. I tried not to let all that had happened today overwhelm me but Jackson's voice combined with my mom's kept echoing in my head.

_"What are you going to do Allison when your stupid bitch of a boyfriend turns on you? They killed your aunt, they almost killed Lydia and Maggie Stevens has your entire family pegged at the top of her hit list for killing her family. Who do you think is going to be next?"_

**[Scott's POV]**

Stiles had called Derek letting him know the situation so he would expect us. Maggie had sent a text that said Allison was fine and that she was going to look for Lydia which made me feel a bit relieved but when we ran into the subway car, Derek took Erica from me immediately looking worried.

"Hold her up!" He said sitting her on the ground of the dirty railcar. Stiles jumped behind her to hold her up.

"Is she dying?" Stiles asked worried just by looking at Derek's face.

"She might, I don't know...which is why this is going to hurt." He grabbed a hold of Erica's arm and snapped it making her scream in agony.

"YOU BROKE HER ARM!? WHAT THE HELL KIND OF MEDICAL ATTENTION IS THAT?!" Stiles yelled at Derek but he ignored him. I covered my mouth in shock as Erica continued to thrash in Stiles arms. I'd broken bones in my lifetime but I'd never seen someone snap a bone with their bare hands.

"It'll trigger the healing process but I still gotta get the venom out and this is where it's really going to hurt." Derek took a deep breath before squeezing the broken bone causing blood to pour out of it like a faucet. Erica let out another scream of pain as she started to cry and once the venom started to clear her system, she relaxed back into Stiles on the verge of passing out.

"Stiles..." Erica reached back and fingered Stiles shirt as her eyes became heavy.

"Maggie was right." She whispered making Stiles glance over at me.

"Right about what?" He questioned unsure of what she meant.

"You make a good batman." Erica finally blacked out in his arms and I gave him a nod. Derek continued to drain the venom and my phone went off. It was Maggie.

"Hey are you okay?" I asked quickly.

"Yeah I'm fine. How is Erica?" Derek looked up hearing Maggie's voice through my phone.

"She's passed out but Derek saved her. She'll probably be out for a while but she'll be okay. Did you heal?" I asked hearing Derek's heart tick a bit.

"Yeah I'm just sore. I can't seem to find Lydia anywhere and if I keep creeping around her house then her mom will probably call the cops." Maggie sounded defeated.

"You should come here. Erica would probably want to see you when she wakes up and she could definitely use some of that good health juju you're so good at." I said trying to make up for being a jerk earlier. I could hear her sigh before seeing the grumpy face Derek held at the suggestion.

"I appreciate the sentiment but you were right earlier. I screwed up and I'm sorry." She admitted but I stood up and walked a few steps away from Stiles, Erica and Derek.

"I was a jerk because I was scared so I'm sorry too. We're all just a little confused as to all these sudden changes but no matter what we love you." I'm not sure why I whispered it considering Stiles was the only one who couldn't hear me. Maggie was silent for a moment as she contemplated what to say.

"I assume Derek knows you invited me over to his current residency without his permission so maybe you should check with him." I turned around and looked at Derek who closed his eyes for a minute before nodding slowly.

"He doesn't mind." I said knowing that would make her happy.

"I'm going to grab a few things and I'll be over soon." She said as she started her car.

"Just be careful." I said before hanging up. Derek stood up and looked down at Erica.

"Maggie is on her way here." Stiles looked up at me as he stroked Erica's hair out of his face. Derek pursed his lips at me.

"If she's going to insist on following you around then at least have the common sense to talk her into controlling her wolf instead of pretending it doesn't exist. It's going to get her killed otherwise." Derek gritted out. I glanced over at Stiles and we were both thinking about her claws popping out earlier today.

"How much do you know about what she is exactly?" I questioned making him stand up.

"Not much. I just know it's power is greater than any alphas which poses a threat to all of us if it's uncontrolled." He crossed his arms over his chest.

"How is she supposed to control it?" I asked but Derek knew immediately I was hiding something.

"What happened? Did she turn in front of someone?" Derek pressed.

"Her claws came out. She didn't even notice but just as quickly she got them to go away." I said honestly making Derek shake his head.

"Great. That's great." Derek stormed out of the railcar and I followed him leaving Stiles on the floor with Erica.

"Look she's going through some really rough stuff right now and you aren't really helping." I said making him spin around.

"SHE'S CAN'T AFFORD TO BE CODDLED!" He yelled fuming.

"No one is coddling her. It's called being a good friend. You wouldn't know what that's like considering you couldn't even be a good cousin." I yelled back and Derek growled about to close the space between us but a voice broke through.

"HEY! THAT'S ENOUGH!" It was Maggie. She was carrying a bag over her shoulder and a pillow under her arm.

"I can't listen to this anymore. You want to know why I can't focus on healing myself? I'm too busy worrying about people I love getting killed but here you two are tearing each other apart for no reason. This is why I feel like I need to remove myself from all of it. This is why I'd rather you both be pissed at me than being the thing you play tug of war with." Maggie ran her hands through her hair. I felt like I was being disciplined all over again. She took a deep breath to calm herself down.

"I think things would be a lot easier if you both stopped worrying about me controlling myself and learn to control yourselves." She walked up to the both of us and looked between us. Derek stepped backwards and leaned on the pillar.

"Erica was almost killed today and the full moon is in a few days. We don't have time to bicker or point fingers. We need to focus on the immediate threat which is the kanima." Maggie said looking from me to Derek.

"You know who the kanima is, you just needed Erica to confirm it." I spoke up finally earning a sigh from Derek.

"Jackson." He admitted. I looked at Maggie and she stared back.

"I'm going to help you stop him...as part of your pack. If you want me in fine but we're catching him, not killing him." I said firmly catching Derek's attention.

"And?" Derek crossed his arms over his chest.

"We do it my way. No casualties, no arguing." I said seeing him glance over at Maggie but she walked towards the railcar where Stiles and Erica were.

"Fine." Derek shook my hand. I followed behind Maggie and helped her situate Erica comfortably on a makeshift bed before kicking Stiles and I out so she could clean her up.

"She looks better than when we left her. I mean at least her head does. I haven't seen her leg yet." Stiles said keeping his back to the railcar.

"What happened to her leg?" Derek asked without thinking.

"Oh you suddenly care?" Stiles laughed making Derek roll his eyes.

"The fact that you continue to try my patience when you know I can not only kill you but hide your body is astounding to me." Derek threatened. I shook my head as Maggie pushed the railcar doors open.

"She'll sleep through the night but I gave her something for the pain in case-" Derek cut her off.

"What happened to your leg?" He asked standing up.

"Nothing happened to it. It's fine." She brushed him off but he shook his head.

"I can smell the medication on your leg. The stitches are gone but the medication is still there." She let out a sigh before rubbing her head.

"I just..." Maggie stopped talking and cringed dropping her bag.

"Maggie?" Stiles started to walk towards her but she dropped to her knees grabbing her head as if something inside of it was trying to break through.

"Maggie?! Maggie talk to me?" Stiles grabbed a hold of her like he'd down with Erica in the railcar and Derek ran towards her but she couldn't form words. She gritted her teeth and I could actually hear them grinding together before she went into a seizure.

"What's going on?! What's happening?!" Derek started freaking out.

"I don't know! I don't know! MAGGIE!" Stiles heartbeat was almost beating as fast as Maggie but when she finally went still we knew she had passed out. I tried calling Deaton but he didn't pick up. I realized then we didn't know anyone who could help us figure out how to deal with Maggie's new abilities. My mom had called but I ignored the call. Derek picked her up from Stiles and made sure she was comfortable.

"What do we do now?" I asked watching over her with Derek and Stiles. Stiles phone went off again and he checked it before shaking his head.

"I'm not leaving until I know she's alright." Stiles said firmly.

"Stiles-" He looked over at me.

"No...I had to leave her in the library bleeding. I'm not just going to leave her again." Stiles phone started going off again and he finally answered it.

"Dad I really-" He started but the fury of the Sheriff overpowered him.

"STILES IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR ASS BACK TO THE HOUSE IN THE NEXT 10 MINUTES, NOT ONLY WILL YOU BE GROUNDED FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE BUT I'M GOING TO START LOOKING INTO HOMESCHOOLING! RESTRAINING ORDER AND NOW DETENTION FOR FIGHTING?! GET YOUR ASS HOME NOW!" He hung on Stiles and he rubbed at his head.

"She's safe here." Derek broke the awkward silence and we looked at him.

"Look, if we're going to be working together than you have to trust me. I'm not going to let anything happen to her and if she doesn't pull out of this by the morning than I'll take her to Deaton myself." Derek said looking at me. I knew he wouldn't let Maggie get hurt. I heard his heart tick when he called Maggie out the other night. He didn't mean it but it still hurt her. I looked over at Stiles and put my hand on his shoulder.

"Stiles, she'll be alright." I said firmly. Stiles raked his hands over his head before standing up and looking at Derek.

"Keep your beta bitch away from her. She's not a sleepy beauty. Call the moment she comes out of it." Stiles was pissed. I could tell the way he moved around to make sure she was covered up and throwing glares at Derek. Derek knew he was scared so he didn't say anything which was a different but as Stiles and I got in the jeep to head home he seemed kind of irritated with me as well.

"You know we couldn't stay. Derek may be an ass but he isn't going to let anything happen to her." I pointed out earning more silence.

"Even if everything else fails, Deaton said it's next to impossible for her to be killed." I thought that would be reassuring but he cut his eyes at me.

"Was that you trying to comfort me because you are terrible at it." He snapped.

"You know I love her too, man. But no matter how much we hate it she's family to Derek." Stiles seemed to let it soak in as he pulled up to my house.

"I'm just...I'm tired of watching her get hurt. I feel like I have to keep watching her suffer and I know she's some great big werewitch or whatever but she's still Maggie to me." Stiles explained and I nodded at him letting him know I understood exactly what he was feeling. I chuckled though catching his attention.

"You know she'd punch you if she heard you call her that again." Stiles chuckled too.

"I think it's growing on her." I got out of the jeep and ran inside trying to think of a way to capture Jackson and help Maggie.

**[Maggie's POV]**

_I walked up the steps of the burnt out Hale house, unsure of how I got there or why I was even here. I felt the cold on my skin and the ache in my chest that I felt whenever I came back to the house. The ache that Peter put there with his claws. The first thing I saw was Lydia sitting on the floor in what looked like a trance. I ran towards her and looked around to make sure she was alright._

_"Lydia! Lydia, what are you doing here?" I asked before a booming voice startled me._

_"I'm so sorry Lydia. All of this must be terribly confusing but at least you know you're not actually crazy. Well not completely. There's bound to be some residual effects but you're a strong girl. I think you'll pull through with minimal amount of post traumatic stress and a few years of profoundly disturbing nightmares." I couldn't put my finger on who the voice belonged to but the pain in my chest was like the pain I felt in my head before I passed out._

_"Lydia we have to-" The voice cut me off again._

_"I had a plan you know? Mmm it was a good plan too." I reached out to take Lydia's hand but she jumped. I pulled back unsure of how to snap her out of it._

_"If there's one thing I've learned in life it's to always have a back up...and that's you." The voice whispered._

_"Lydia tell me how to help you." I gripped my chest as the pain seared and I felt blood dripping through my shirt._

_"Your immunity makes you the perfect plan. You wouldn't die from the bite, you wouldn't turn but would be able to do one very important thing." It was then that I realized who the voice was. I don't think I have ever been more terrified as I pulled my hand away from my chest to see my own blood. I reached out to grab Lydia and saw flashes of the boy from earlier. He wasn't real, or he was but not anymore. He was dead. He had to be._

_"LYDIA!"_

I shot up trying to catch my breath. Derek jumped to his feet startling me.

"It's me! It's me!" Derek put his hands out and I looked around unsure of where I was. I pulled my shirt over my head and yanked up my tank to see my scar was inflamed but not bleeding.

"Are you okay?" Derek asked carefully as I realized I was in the railcar, not the Hale house.

"I-I don't know." I said honestly. I raked my hands through my hair and tried to wrap my head around what had just happened.

"Stiles said you've been getting migraines. You should have said something instead of letting them get this bad. You've been out for 4 hours." Derek said making me look over at him.

"Sorry to inconvenience you. I'll be out of your hair soon enough." I threw the blanket off and Derek shook his head.

"Why do you insist on acting like such a child." He grunted as I looked for my shoes.

"Why do you insist on acting like such an ass?" I pulled my shoes on and he sat down where I was once sleeping.

"I'm trying to protect you." He said simply and I snapped.

"IT'S NOT YOUR JOB TO PROTECT ME ANYMORE! I'M NOT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY, REMEMBER?!" I shouted. I remembered that Erica was resting and I could sense Isaac somewhere near by but I didn't care.

"I have someone who wants me around and cares about me. He's known about less time than you and he STILL wants me around. I...I'm the reason his brother was killed and he still wants to make sure I have someone stable that lets me know I'm not alone." I unleashed on Derek and he sat there taking it. I grabbed my jacket off the end of the bed and he finally sighed.

"You remind me so much of my little sister. So damn stubborn." I felt a thud in my chest at Derek's confession. He kept his head down and I could tell it hurt for him to say that out loud. He cleared his throat and I knew his guard was back up.

"I'm sorry okay? Is that what you want to hear? I'm sorry I said what I said the other night." He still hadn't looked at me.

"Okay." I said simply but that only seemed to upset him more.

"I don't know why you think I'm not capable of protecting you when I've been watching your back since you came back to town. You think two stupid boys and a girl who will eventually try to kill you are better allies then me." He said so bitterly I just shook my head.

"I'm not looking for allies, Derek. I was looking for family but you made it very clear that I wasn't a real Hale anyway." I replied equally bitter but I could hear someone approaching and knew that I didn't want to argue in front of Isaac, Boyd or Erica because I knew how much the alpha status meant to Derek.

"You can pretend that I betrayed you all you want but you know that you gave up on me first. All I did was have enough love for you to walk away like you told me to. I guess you were right considering picking your battles isn't really a Hale thing." Boyd came down the stairs and looked at me with sad eyes as I walked past him. I could faintly hear Derek whisper as I got to the top of the stairs.

"I didn't give up on you." I wished I could just talk to him and not feel like he was only thinking about being the alpha. When all of this started, he used me as an excuse to build us a family but now that I was on the outside it was more obvious that it wasn't about that anymore. I got in my car and wanted so badly to go to the place I saw in that vision but I just couldn't. I couldn't bring myself to go there. I found myself parking at the Stilinski's and staring up at Stiles window. It was late and the Sheriff was already home. I got out of the car and walked towards the tree that sloped down next to the low part of the house. Once on top of it I walked carefully to Stiles window and saw him sleeping on his side. I opened the window quietly and closed it before sitting on the edge of his bed and watching him sleep. He was clutching his phone in his hand and when I went to move it he woke up wide eyed.

"Maggie! Are you alright?" He sat up and gripped my face looking me over. I couldn't help but smile softly. I honestly don't know what I'd do if I'd lost Stiles.

"You didn't do anything wrong." I said remembering what he'd said in the library. He cocked his eyebrow in confusion.

"Well...that's a relief." He said.

"In the library, you said that I was making all these decisions, pushing you away...you didn't do anything wrong. It's just me. I'm the crazy one." I said honestly but he shook his head.

"You aren't crazy. You've been through a lot." He took my hand into his and I watched how he rubbed his thumb over my hand trying to put me at ease.

"I thought you were upset with me...why are you trying to make me feel better?" I questioned with a laugh but he shrugged.

"Well you admitted you were crazy and it wasn't my fault so I figured that was progress." Stiles teased making me shake my head. He put his hand on my cheek again.

"You look exhausted." He frowned but I rolled my eyes.

"Crazy, irrational and a hot mess. Anything else?" I joked.

"You're also really short." I shoved Stiles and he laughed.

"Hey I can still kick your ass!" I threatened but he put his hands up in surrender before rolling out of bed and rummaging through a box next to his closet. He tossed something at me and I realized it was one of my sleep shirts.

"What are you like stealing my clothes now? Something you want to tell me?" I teased him but he rolled his eyes.

"Get comfortable. I'm going to grab you washcloth for your face. Seeing you bleeding on the library floor and then bust out into seizure mode was enough worry for one day. You aren't going anywhere tonight." Stiles walked out of his room and I smiled. I knew I could take care of myself, I'd been doing it for years but the feeling I got when Stiles took care of me always made me happy. I quickly changed and bit my lip as I jumped into his bed. He came back and looked at me confused but more nervous than anything.

"I was wondering if I could stay with you tonight...it's been a really tough day and I could really use some company." I said nervously but Stiles shook it off and tossed the washcloth at me.

"So you want to cuddle? Wow that's probably the girlest thing I've ever heard you say." Stiles said as I covered my face with the cloth, wiping what was left of the makeup from today off and laughing.

"Do you want to be the big spoon or the little spoon?" Stiles flipped around on his side and I looked down at him.

"I've missed this. You're being very sassy, it's refreshing." I said lying back on the pillow. Stiles leaned on his elbow and let out a heavy sigh.

"I know things have been pretty crappy lately and I know you've got a lot going on in your head but I promised you that I'd stick it out with you, no matter what. I'm here Mags, for whatever you need." Stiles said sweetly but I couldn't get the thought of Peter out of my head.

"Where are you right now?" He asked looking concerned.

"I just keep thinking about how bad things have gotten and I have this terrible feeling that...that this is only the beginning." I rolled over and Stiles tucked his arm under the pillow copying my position.

"Well I can't tell you what's going to happen tomorrow or next week but right now I can guarantee that you are safe here with me okay?" Stiles reached over and rubbed my shoulder. I scooted closer to him and rested my head on his chest. His arm hovered for a few moments before he finally pulled my closer and kissed the top of my head. I tried to push the worries out of my head and just enjoy Stiles holding me if only just for one night.


	8. In The Dark

**[Stiles POV]**

I sat in Dad's office putting the dinner I had picked up on his desk. I didn't really see the point in doing a family dinner considering what happened a few days ago. I never thought waking up with a girl in my bed would be so horrible but my dad made sure to completely ruin it for me.

_I felt warm as my alarm clock sounded for the third time. My right arm was asleep under Maggie's head and her hair was in my face with my body wrapped around hers tightly._

_"Good morning." I said as she started to move in my bed. I was still in shock that she'd asked to stay with me last night. It felt nice knowing that she was sleeping in my arms. I actually felt like I could protect her, even if it was just a dream._

_"Good morning." She said back as I breathed in the scent of her hair._

_"You smell nice." I said honestly cuddling into her neck. She relax back into me like she'd slept next to me all the time._

_"You smell like your dad's aftershave." She chuckled._

_"I don't even use aftershave...wait-" I opened my eyes to see my dad standing at the end of my bed, arms crossed over his chest and a very pissed off look etched onto his face. I pulled away from Maggie quickly making her open her eyes._

_"Dad! I can-" He put his hand up._

_"I don't want to hear it anymore. All the excuses and lies, I've had it." He seethed as Maggie moved out of the bed._

_"It's really not his fault, I was the one-" Dad cut his eyes at Maggie._

_"Frankly, I don't want to hear it from either of you. I'm very disappointed in you Maggie. You of all people should know that this wouldn't be okay. You took advantage of my hospitality." I could see Maggie was surprise by my dad drilling her._

_"Dad! It wasn't like that! We were just sleeping." I defended getting out of the bed._

_"ENOUGH!" He raised his voice making me step back. There was an awkward moment of silence before Maggie cleared her throat._

_"I'm so sorry I took advantage of the situation, Sheriff. I've appreciated everything you've done for me and the last thing I'd ever want you to think is that I was ungrateful. I can stay with the McCall's until Nathan is ready to move into the new house." Maggie grabbed her jacket off my chair and quickly rushed to put her shoes on._

_"I think that would be for the best." Dad let out a heavy sigh and I was floored._

_"Are you serious-" Dad looked at me again._

_"Stiles, don't. He's right." Maggie looked at me with pleading eyes as she walked out of my room._

_"In what part of your brain did you think sleeping with Maggie was an exception to you being grounded?" Dad squinted his eyes at me._

_"Nothing happened! We were just sleeping! How could you just let her leave like that? You just made her feel totally unwelcome in our house." I raised my voice gesturing to the door wanting to chase after her._

_"Hey! You're on thin ice son, so I'd watch my tone if I were you. Maggie knows she's welcome here but not if she crosses the line like she did last night." Dad stepped towards me and I clenched my jaw._

_"How do you know she crossed the line? Maybe I asked her to sleep with me. Is that so hard to believe?" I challenged seeing my dad shake his head._

_"You wouldn't ask to her to stay with you." He said simply baffling me._

_"How could you possibly know that?" I asked as he walked towards the door._

_"Because son, I've known Maggie as long as I've known you. You just wouldn't." He said it like he knew something I didn't and that pissed me off even more. Dad took my phone and left me to stew in my own thoughts. I went straight to the window to see Maggie staring up at me with a sad smile. She mouthed a thank you at me before getting in her car and driving away._

I pocketed my phone which Dad had returned after two days of the silent treatment. Maggie had tried to make herself scarce but I knew she'd talked to Dad because Scott did some eavesdropped on the conversation. I passed him his food as I sat in the chair in front of his desk.

"What the hell is this?" He asked grossed out.

"Veggie burger." I said simply grabbing my salad.

"I asked for a hamburger." He complained going for what he thought was fries.

"Well a veggie burger is healthier. We're eating healthier." He groaned when he saw celery and carrots instead of curly fries.

"Aw hell why are you trying to ruin my life?" He sat back in his chair.

"I'm trying to extend your life. Now that we don't have someone to cook healthy meals for us, take out healthy is the best we got so just eat it." I opened up my salad.

"So you're still torturing me about the Maggie thing, huh?" Dad said taking a sip of his drink.

"I'm not doing anything but trying to keep you on this planet a little longer." I rolled my eyes but he wasn't buying it.

"You know she was going to move out anyway now that Nathan is in town. It's what Karen had asked for. She left a Will, son. I can't do anything about that." Dad explained for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"You didn't have to make her feel like she did something wrong though. She just needed a friend and you pretty much made her feel like she had thrown a kegger in our house while you were away." I grabbed one of his carrots trying to get him to eat one but he let out a sigh.

"What kind of message would it send if I let two underage teens sleep in the same bed together? Not only is that negligence but do you honestly think Karen would be okay with that? Whether you were doing anything or not, it's still not appropriate." Dad said making me shrug.

"She's my best friend. We've had sleepovers before." I pulled a face and my dad just chuckled.

"Son if you don't know by now that Maggie has had a crush on you since forever, I don't know what to tell you." He threw his hands up in the air as I shifted uncomfortably.

"Judging by your sudden lack of rebuttal, I'm going to say you've caught up with the rest of us and know that sleeping in a bed with a girl that has more than platonic feelings for you isn't just something I can allow." I shook my head at him knowing he was right but not wanting to admit it.

"I just don't want her to think she can never have a home with us. What if things with Nathan don't work out?" I pitched.

"I know you care and I know you want to protect her but if this is what Maggie wants, you can't deny her this chance. If it doesn't work out, she knows she has a place with us. Just not the place next to you in your bed." I looked at my dad giving him a knowing glare.

"Look on the bright side, if she's not living with us than maybe you could ask her out on a date." I nearly choked on my water.

"Dad! Come on!" I whined making him put his hands up.

"It's not completely unheard of. People still do the whole dating thing. You act like it's impossible." He said finally eating a carrot.

"Trust me, Maggie doesn't want to go out with me." I said honestly.

"Oh and you know this because she told you that?" He challenged.

"Actually yeah. She said she had to focus on herself right now because of what happened. She's not ready to date anyone." I explained seeing disappointment on my dad's face.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sure you'll be the first to know when she is ready though." He smiled at me and I returned it before glancing behind him checking out the stuff he's put together on the case.

"Don't look at that. Avert your eyes. I know what you're doing, don't make me start darting these carrot sticks at you." Dad tried to distract me as I pointed to different things.

"I see…arrows…pointing to pictures." He put his hands up finally in defeat.

"Okay fine. I found something. The couple and the mechanic that were murdered have something in common." He lowered his voice.

"All three?" I questioned slumping in the chair curiously.

"Yeah and you know what I always say: one's an incident, two's a coincidence-" I cut my dad off.

"Three's a pattern. What do they have in common?" I asked.

"All three were 24 years old." He said making me think over the other victims.

"But what about Mr. Lahey, he's nowhere near 24." I pointed out.

"Which had me convince he wasn't apart of the murders until I did a little bit of digging. Did you know Isaac had an older brother? Would have been about 24." Dad handed me a file and I read through it.

"Died in combat." I looked over the details and figured I could ask Maggie about what she knew the next time I talked to her. I got up and looked over the boards with my dad.

"What if same age means same class? Did you think of that?" I asked keeping my eyes on all the pictures.

"Well…look give me a break, I just got Lahey's file 2 hours ago." My jaw dropped.

"Two hours?! Dad, people could be dying! There are tons of 24 year olds in Beacon Hills!" I freaked thinking of how insanely slow the outsourcing for the department was.

"Yeah I'm aware! Thank you!" Dad and I went back looking through the files and yearbooks. I did the math in my head and searched for the graduating class of 2006.

"Here it is." I scanned the list and started seeing the names of the victims.

"But so what if they all went to Beacon Hills? I mean there has to be more than that right?" I looked up at my dad and he turned a page.

"Same teacher." He looked at me and I looked at what he was staring at.

"Mr. Harris? They all had him?" I asked wide eyed.

"I don't know how Mr. Lahey fits in but all four of the victims were in Harris's class. Pull up the 2006 year book and put faces to these names. The killer is still out there and we need to start warning people." I went to work and felt a surge of energy sparked by helping my dad with his investigation. For the first time since all this crap started happening, I actually feel like I can contribute and protect people. It was a good feeling and I only wished that Maggie could be here to see us working together.

**[Scott's POV]**

Maggie sat at the metal table writing in a journal as I waited for Derek to show up. She'd told me about what happened at Stiles but she made it clear she didn't want to keep talking about it. The Sheriff even called and talked to her but she still seemed off. She had made a few trips to the storage unit knowing the big move was coming up. Nathan said he could probably have them set up by spring break which only made talking to Stiles tense. It would be weird going back to not having Maggie so close but she made it clear that it wasn't up for debate.

"What are you writing?" I leaned on the table and she snapped out of it.

"Just making sure I have everything ready for the move. Deaton is helping me utilize the attic space so it will be able to hold all of the Steven's Coven belongings. Books, weapons, all that jazz." She looked up from her book and I nodded. She closed her notebook and tilted her head to the side knowing that I wasn't going to say anything negative.

"You know I'm not doing this to hurt anyone right? I just need to find a place that I can call home that's all mine." She put her hand on top of mine and I looked down at it. I couldn't help but think of the blood tie I made with Karen when she'd found out I was a werewolf. She wanted me to protect Maggie and I haven't stopped trying to do that since she died. I knew the tie was broken with her death but I didn't care.

"We went 6 years without you Mags. Home hasn't truly been home until you came back. As long as you know that, everything's going to be fine." I said sincerely. She smiled at me before glancing at the door. We both sensed Derek's arrival but he wasn't alone.

"It's just Isaac." She said making me furrow my eyebrows together.

"Isaac? Why would he have Isaac with him?" I walked to the door to confirm what Maggie had said.

"What's he doing here?" I asked Derek as they both walked in.

"I need him." Derek said firmly.

"I don't trust him." I said looking him over as he walked in like he owned the place.

"Yeah well he doesn't trust you either." Isaac sniped back.

"You know what? Derek really doesn't care so-" Derek looked over as Maggie came into the room.

"What's she doing here?" Maggie rolled her eyes.

"I need her." I said confidently.

"And before you ask, he doesn't really care either." Maggie smiled falsely at Derek who gritted his teeth together.

"Whenever you kids are finished." Deaton interrupted us. Derek kept his eyes on Maggie for a moment before glaring at me defeated.

"Now do we plan on killing your friend, Jackson or saving him?" Deaton asked crossing his arms over his chest with reservations.

"Kill him."

"Save him."

Derek and I answered at the same time and I looked at him.

"Save him! We want to save him." I said firmly until Derek rolled his eyes. I followed Maggie and Deaton into the back, Isaac and Derek following me as we gathered around the metal table.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" Derek asked out loud not really looking at anyone but we all knew who he was addressing but she didn't respond. Deaton laid out a familiar kit that could only be compared to a spice rack and Maggie caught Isaac's hand before he could touch what was in it.

"Hands to yourself, Lahey." She smirked slightly making him retract his arm.

"So are you some kind of witch too?" He asked Deaton making me want to punch him.

"No I'm a veterinarian." Deaton answered with equal sarcasm.

"Unfortunately I don't think I have anything here that can be an effective defense against a paralytic toxin." Deaton let out a heavy sigh.

"We're open to suggestions." Derek said making Maggie chuckle.

"Remember you said that." She mumbled.

"What about a power offense?" Isaac suggested.

"I practically cut it's head off and Argent emptied a clip into it. The only thing it's seemed to be phased by is water. It fears it." Derek explained talking about the night him, Stiles and Maggie were trapped in the pool.

"Does the same go for Jackson?" Deaton asked.

"No he's captain of the swim team." I informed.

"So we can't fight it and we can't hurt it...what if we contain it?" Maggie suggested.

"I don't happen to have a submarine lying around." Isaac shrugged but Deaton snapped his fingers.

"Actually that sounds like a great plan. Essentially you're trying to catch two people. A puppet and a puppet master." Deaton held up a medallion and place it on the table.

"One killed the husband but the other had to take care of the wife. Any ideas why?" Deaton questioned.

"I don't think Jackson could do it. He was an orphan himself. I don't think he could do that to someone else." I looked over at Maggie who nodded agreeing.

"What if it's part of the rules? The Kanima kills murderers. IF Jackson kills the wife, the baby dies too which sort of cancels them out, right?" Isaac looked at Maggie who gave him a small smile at his contribution.

"Does that mean your father was a murderer?" I questioned.

"It wouldn't surprise me if he was." It was strange getting insight into Issac's life. As much as I'd love to hate him, he had a pretty crappy home life. The bite kind of did save his life even if he's in more danger now. I also had to keep in mind that Maggie cared a lot about him, one of the only other guys she's ever really said something romantically about since Stiles. I think the best friend to Stiles in me wanted to hate Isaac but the best friend to Maggie in me wanted me to embrace him.

"The book said they were bonded." Maggie spoke up.

"So what if the fear of water isn't coming from Jackson but the one controlling him?" Deaton picked up something out of the rack and held it up.

"What if something that affects the kanima, also affects it's master." Deaton poured some sort of black powder around the medallion he once held up and it hit me.

"Then we can trap them." Maggie said looking at me.

"Both of them." I confirmed. Derek seemed to be on the same page as us as we started to plan. He was resistant to having Maggie be involved but there was no way she couldn't be.

"I don't need her as backup. Erica will be with Isaac and I'll have Boyd with me. She can either help Stiles or be inside with Scott." Derek had his arms across his chest and Maggie sighed.

"It really wouldn't hurt to have an extra pair of eyes watching your back, Derek." Deaton spoke up.

"She hasn't done any training. I don't need to worry about her getting hurt trying to watch my back." Derek spat.

"It's fine. I'll be inside with Scott and the others." Derek looked over at Maggie as she submitted.

"He doesn't trust me. It's understandable. I wouldn't want someone I didn't trust watching my back either." Maggie didn't meet his gaze but Derek looked almost pained that she came to that conclusion.

"Alright then, Scott can bring Stiles in tomorrow and I'll explain his part in all of this. I think we've got everything else firmed up." Deaton cleared his throat to cut through the tension and Derek quickly made his exit. Isaac lingered and nudged Maggie with his shoulder.

"So I managed to get two tickets for tomorrow. Erica insisted on getting her own but I figured I would get you one. Save me a dance tomorrow?" He smiled at her and she nodded.

"You didn't have to do that but thank you. I'll see if I can squeeze in a dance." She smiled back and I noticed Isaac gave her hip a squeeze.

"ISAAC!" Derek called making him hurry out. Maggie cleaned up what Deaton had spread out on the table, wiping the table off and putting the spice rack back.

"You aren't actually going to like use tomorrow night as a date are you?" I asked out loud making her look up at me.

"It was a joke, Scott." She said keeping my eye contact.

"It didn't seem like a joke. I just want to make sure you're focused. I don't want anyone getting hurt." I pressed making her squint her eyes.

"Do you trust me?" She asked sounding offended.

"You know I do." I stepped closer to her and she eyeballed me for a moment before nodding.

"Good then don't question me." She grabbed her bag and walked out the door just as Deaton walked back.

"She's got some training but nearly enough. She's got a good sense of her craft as well. I was considering offering her a job here this summer to harness both. I figured I'd run it past you first." Deaton said surprising me. It was weird that he was looking for some sort of permission from me when he was the boss.

"Why would you run it past me?" I asked curiously.

"Not for permission sake but because you are the closest with her whether you realize it or not. Derek is family by blood and there will always be a bond with him but he knows that Maggie considers you a brother. A bond of a sibling is a very powerful thing, blood or not. Most would go to the end of the world for their sibling. The burden of being a brother is both a gift and a curse in itself. So when I ask you, it's out of respect." Deaton explained and I felt a sense of pride I hadn't in a while.

"I think it would be a good idea." I said confidently. Deaton nodded his head.

"Go ahead and head out. I'll see you all tomorrow." Deaton waved me out and I drove Maggie and I back home.

"Whatever is going on with Isaac, I think you should tell Stiles." I blurted finally catching her attention.

"Well nothing is going on with Isaac but if it were, why exactly would I be reporting to Stiles?" She questioned.

"Because he cares about you and after what went down with his dad, he's going to think it's his fault if you start dating Isaac." I explained earning a strange look from Maggie.

"What the HELL are you talking about? I'm not dating anyone and if I started, it would have nothing to do with Stiles." She said defensively.

"It's complicated." I said as we pulled up to the house.

"Scott, what happened?" She asked making me bite my lip.

"It's just...something Peter said the night he tried to kill you. Something he told Stiles...it's kind of sticking with him." I explained vaguely but she clearly wasn't buying it.

"What did he say, Scott?" She asked as I parked the car and turned it off.

"You should really talk to Stiles about-" She cut me off.

"I'm talking to you. What did he say to Stiles?" She insisted. I knew she wasn't going to let me out of the car without telling her. I just hoped she wouldn't say anything to Stiles.

"Peter told him that he'd never be enough for you, that because he was human he would never measure up. He said you'd end up with a wolf so if something is going to happen with Isaac and I'm not saying it is but if it does, you need to tell him it's got nothing to do with him. He cares about you Mags and I just don't want to see either of you get hurt." I explained honestly and she nodded her head.

"Sometimes I wish Peter was still alive...so I could rip his throat out myself." She gritted out before getting looking over at me. I'd never really heard Maggie talk so violently before. Her hatred for Peter was something none of us really talked about because of how confused she was after that night. She had always assumed he killed her family but he put doubt in her mind. We got out of the car and didn't really talk the rest of the night.

When I got up the next morning, Maggie had already taken off according to mom. I filled Stiles in on everything that had happened last night with the meeting, including what happened with Isaac.

"What do you mean squeezed her hip? Like a side hug or something more intimate? I mean there's a very fine distinction." Stiles pressed as we got out of the jeep.

"I'm not sure what the distinction would be." I said honestly and he rolled his eyes pulling me to his side.

"Like this or like-" He face me and ran his hand down my side making me laugh.

"Dude!" I giggled as people walked by giving us weird looks.

"Well which was it?" Stiles pressed.

"More like the second but more of a squeeze then a caress." I explained seeing him get even more agitated.

"How can Derek even remotely complain about Maggie when his little brillo head beta can't even take a strategy session serious. I mean asking her for a dance? The kanima is killing people you moron!" Stiles got a little loud and I looked around making sure no one heard.

"Well we need to get tickets for this thing." I changed the subject.

"It's a secret show, there's only one way and it's a secret. If you want to ask boy wonder, go for it but I'm not." Stiles threw his backpack over his shoulder but we didn't get too far before Matt stopped us.

"Hey either of you guys know why no one is getting suspended for what happened the other day?" Matt asked curiously.

"Just forget about it, nobody got hurt." Stiles snapped bitterly. I knew his mind went to Maggie. He hated having to leave her there.

"I had a concussion." Matt tilted his head to the side.

"Well nobody got seriously hurt." Stiles mocked once more.

"I was in the ER for 6 hours." Matt complained. I glanced up to the school to see Maggie heading our way.

"Okay you want to know the truth, Matt? Your little bump on the head is about this high on our list of problems right now!" Stiles put his hand on the ground and Maggie ran up pulling him away.

"Whoa okay, sorry about that. Note to self: go back to the grocery brand pop tarts." She apologized before giving me a look that said RECOVER THIS!

"Are you okay?" I asked seeing him cut his eyes at Maggie talking to Stiles.

"Yeah I'm fine now. I saw you didn't get any tickets last night either." Matt said making me shake my head.

"Are they still selling?" I asked curiously.

"No but I managed to find two online. You should keep trying though. It sounds like everyone's going to be there." The bell rang and he headed towards the school.

"I don't like him. He's just got that face." Stiles cringed and Maggie shook her head.

"You've got a face too. One of completely insanity." She said hitting his arm.

"Don't you have a boyfriend to meet up with?" Stiles snapped at her instantly regretting it by the look on his face. She put her hands up and he stopped her.

"I'm sorry! I'm just nervous. I'm not typically an integral part of the plans here. Are you sure about this?" He asked making Maggie glance at me.

"Whoever is controlling the kanima had to finish the job last time. Where else would he be?" I explained. Stiles nodded head as Maggie walked into the school with us. We spotted Isaac by her locker and Stiles rolled his eyes.

"I'm down for whatever but how do you plan on finding tickets?" Stiles asked disgruntled.

"Like this." Maggie grabbed a hold of my arm and tugged me to a stop in front of Isaac.

"Hey." He smiled at her.

"Hey, so if you want me to go to this thing with you tonight then you have to make sure they score tickets." She pointed to Stiles and I making his smile drop instantly.

"I'm pretty sure they aren't selling them anymore. Can't they just sneak in?" Isaac said shaking his head.

"No I'm not putting them at risk. Either help them get the tickets or you're flying solo." Maggie said firmly making Stiles smirk.

"I guess I don't really have a choice. I'll see what I can do." Isaac walked away leaving Stiles and I to stare at her impressed.

"You honestly think he's going to help us?" I asked curiously.

"If he wants to say it's a date then he better. I could always take the ticket from him and go on my own. This way is more fun. Now get to practice. I'll see you both at Deaton's after." She closed her locker and put her hand on Stiles stomach, scratching her nails into his shirt playfully as if she was scratching an itch. Stiles tried not to smile as we walked to the locker room. Apparently in the world of girl gestures, stomach scratches were equal or above hip squeezes. He continued to talk about it all through morning practice until Isaac tried to peg him with a ball.

When practice was over, the coach was throwing a fit about Jackson missing practice so close to the championship but I was more worried about getting tickets for the rave.

"Sorry but I only got two for myself." Danny said looking at how desperate we were.

"Do you even have a date yet?" Stiles badgered.

"I'm working on it." Danny gritted.

"Okay hear me out, you give us your tickets and you devote your life to abstinence." Stiles pitched but Isaac grabbed us by the shoulders and pulled us away.

"How do you two losers even survive? No wonder Maggie told me I had to help you. You're hopeless." He said making Stiles glare at him before shaking out of his grip.

"What are we supposed to do? No one's even selling." I said looking around the locker room.

"I'll make you a deal, I'll score you the tickets and you two back off me and Maggie so we can figure out what's going on between us." Isaac said making Stiles snort.

"Yeah sure we can do that considering there's nothing going on between you two." Stiles rolled his eyes and Isaac looked at me.

"I like her and she's made it clear she's interested so if you two back off and let us figure it out then I'll get your tickets. If not, it's going to be Erica and I watching her back while Jackson looks for his next victim. Take it or leave it." He offered. I glanced at Stiles knowing he'd never agree but we didn't have many options.

"Fine." Stiles eyes went wide as he looked at me and Isaac smiled hitting our chests.

"Wait here boys." He walked away leaving Stiles to look at me confused.

"Um dude...what the hell? I thought you were team Stiles considering you're my best friend and all." Stiles flailed his arms around and I kept an eye on Isaac.

"I'm on team make sure no one else gets hurt, especially Maggie. You know she'll be more worried about us getting hurt so I don't really see any love connections happening tonight." I explained seeing him clench his jaw. He wasn't happy but he knew we didn't have a lot of options. Isaac tossed one of the guys across the locker room and we both jumped.

"Oh my-" I heard the bolts from one of the lockers fly across the room as he shoved the other guy into the locker.

"That's a bit excessive." Stiles said as we continued to watch Isaac's method of getting tickets.

"This is the guy we're sending Maggie on a date with? Seriously? Awesome." Isaac finished his assault on the two guys before walking over like it was no big deal and handing us the tickets.

"Enjoy the show." He left us standing there in shock.

"Welp, I'm giving Maggie a stun gun." Stiles hit my chest walking back over to his locker to get dressed and I heard my phone buzzing in my locker. I had a vague text from Allison about meeting with her which meant it had to be important since I had told her we had to stop meeting around the school while her mom was working there. It was too risky and I didn't need any added pressure right now. I texted her back and told Stiles I'd meet him at the jeep in 10 minutes. We had a lot of planning to do before tonight.

**[Maggie's POV]**

I had just put Tink back in her cage when I heard Deaton chuckle. He had prepared as much mountain ash for Stiles to take with him as he could in the short period of time we had and I'd suggested a spell to help make the drugs we had to shoot Jackson with stronger but Deaton insisted I not use too much magic this close to the full moon.

"You know, Scott and I agree that you would make a lovely addition here for the summer if you're interested. I could help you further your abilities as well." I looked at Deaton curiously and he smiled.

"You look like Derek's mother when you make that face. Do you know any of your family on your father's side?" He asked catching me off guard.

"Just Derek. I mean I saw Laura but she was...I didn't really get a chance to know any of the Hale's." I cleared my throat.

"Maybe you should consider spending some time with Derek, getting to know the other half of what makes you who you are." I sat down at the table and rolled my eyes.

"In case you didn't notice the other night, Derek and I don't have a whole lot of warm fuzzies going on right now. He thinks I picked Scott over him and it's making him act like a real ass. I'm not going to apologize for him being ridiculous." I said leaning on the metal table.

"Stubbornness runs quite heavily through the Hale's as well. Explains so much about you. Perhaps give it some more time. Maybe he'll see just how much you need each other and he'll overcome his hesitation." I nodded my head at Deaton as the front door opened up. Scott and Stiles came walking through it and I looked up at them from my seat.

"Did you get the tickets?" I asked hopefully and Scott nodded.

"Did you think of a way to trap Jackson?" Scott asked in return and Deaton held up a bottle.

"Ketamine?" Scott asked confused.

"It's the same stuff we use on the dogs but a higher dosage. If you can get close enough to Jackson, it should buy you some time." Deaton explained.

"I'd like to volunteer Isaac for that job." Stiles put his hand up and I cut my eyes at him.

"The next part is for the barrier, this is for you Stiles. Maggie thinks you're the perfect person to do this while I'm pretty sure you're the only one who can." Deaton gave me a nod and Stiles eyebrows went up.

"That sounds like a lot of pressure, can we maybe give me a smaller, less important task?" Scott hit Stiles in the side letting Deaton explain.

"It comes from the mountain ash tree, it's believed by many cultures to protect against the supernatural. The building itself is line with it making it difficult for people like Scott to give me any trouble, which is why he can't handle it in bulk." Deaton explained further.

"What about Maggie? She's a werewitch. She is immune to it right?" Stiles pointed at me as I glared at his stupid nickname.

"Maggie mentioned that the person controlling Jackson had him scribble a message on the board of the library. We've come up with a spell that should help pull the controller out to talk once the ketamine is introduced so she'll have her hands full." Stiles bounced on his feet, biting his lip which usually meant he had doubts.

"What if I can't do this? What if I do it wrong, I mean I'm not like you guys. I don't do these kind of thing's." He asked concerned.

"You can do this, Stiles. I believe in you." Stiles glanced at me and Deaton pressed.

"Maggie can believe in you, Stiles but you have to believe in yourself as well. You have to believe there is something inside of you that can make this happen." Stiles knew this was an important job but I think that's what was scaring him most.

"Okay…well you mind giving me some examples of why exactly you think I'm the best person for this?" He looked at me curiously.

"Because you're _Stiles_. You were the first to figure out what Scott was, you brought me back from the dead and have been fighting your ass off to protect all of us no matter how weak or unskilled you think you are. You're a hero among men, Stiles." I let out a heavy sigh and he shook his head.

"I just…don't know." I reached over and put my hand on top of his making him look up at me, doubt visible in his eyes.

"Help us Obi Wan Kanobi, you're our only hope." He smiled slightly before shaking his head.

"So I just sprinkle this stuff around the building and it keeps Jackson inside." Stiles said making me nod.

"That doesn't sound too hard." Scott smiled.

"On the contrary, gun powder is just powder until a spark ignites it. You have to be that spark, Stiles." Deaton explained.

"If you mean light myself on fire, I don't think I'm up for that." Stiles nerves were obvious but Scott him an annoyed look.

"Do you remember when were kids and I wanted to learn to do a cartwheel so bad but I was to afraid to commit to it?" I stepped in.

"To be fair, you fell on your face a lot." Stiles answered.

"Well that's because I never thought it through. I knew I could hold my weight but until I learned to envision myself taking the tumble, I couldn't land it. It's your own force of will that's going to make this work, without it's just powder." I explained seeing him lick his lips.

"Stiles, in order for this to work you have to believe." Deaton said firmly and I could feel some of the tension leave Stiles body. We worked on trying to gather as many vials of ketamine we could and I made sure to memorize the spell to summon the Kanima master before Deaton loaded up the bags of mountain ash in the back of Stiles jeep. My phone started ringing as I stood outside with Stiles.

"You know, the sun is still up. I'm pretty sure the rave isn't for a few hours." I answered the phone making Stiles turn his head and look at me.

"Well I just wanted to call and ask what time you wanted me to pick you up? Deal's a deal right?" I could hear his smile over the phone.

"Yeah Scott was telling me how you helped them get their tickets. Maybe take a less abrasive approach next time." I said hearing him sigh.

"Come on, you asked me for a favor and I did as you asked." Isaac whined making me laugh.

"I suppose you did, thank you for doing that. I really appreciate it." I said catching sight of Stiles frowning at the back of the jeep.

"Tell you what, I'm going to get a ride and meet you there. After that, I'm all yours." Stiles looked at me confused.

"You are not an easy girl to court, Maggie Stevens." Isaac sighed.

"Well you knew that when you met me." I pointed out.

"Good thing you're worth it. I'll see you tonight." Isaac hung up the phone and I pocketed mine before walking over towards Stiles.

"So I was wondering if it would be okay if I rode with you tonight. I mean you're taking Scott anyway right? Think you'd have room for me too?" I asked as he furrowed his eyebrows.

"What about Isaac?" He asked curiously.

"I'll be with him inside. Besides, I think we should spend some time together this weekend or something. We haven't really had the chance lately." I touched his arm and he looked at my hand surprised.

"Y-yeah yeah I'm cool with that." He said before flashing me a happy smile. I kept thinking about what Scott had said and I know eventually we'd have to talk about it but right now I just wanted Stiles to know that he was important to me. His mood seemed to be up when he dropped Scott and I off at the house but an hour later when I ran out of the house to get the front seat he jumped as if he didn't see me.

"Hey! What's up?" I said brightly but he just sort of nodded his head.

"Stiles…what's wrong?" I asked reaching out and touching his hand. I was immediately pulled into a latch.

_"Hey, what's wrong?" Stiles asked his dad as he walked towards the house._

_"Nothing." The Sheriff was clearly lying._

_"Where's your gun?" Stiles pressed making the Sheriff sigh._

_"At the station with my badge. We'll just talk about this later." He said as if he knew how Stiles would take it and started to walk away._

_"What? Dad! Talk to me." Stiles pleaded desperately. The Sheriff turned towards him, keeping his eyes on the ground._

_"It was decided that the son of the police chief stealing police property and having a restraining order filed against him by one of the town's most respected attorneys did not reflect well on the county." He explained and I could actually feel the clenching of Stiles stomach._

_"T-they fired you." Stiles said plainly._

_"Nah it's a leave of absence. It's temporary." The Sheriff shook it off trying to make Stiles feel less guilty._

_"Did they say it was temporary?" Stiles asked hopeful._

_"Actually no. But don't worry about it. We're going to be fine." The Sheriff turned back towards the house._

_"Dad…I don't get it, why aren't you angry at me?" Stiles asked seeing the defeat on his father's face._

_"I don't know. Everything that's happened lately, you acting out because Maggie moving out and what happened the other night. I guess I just don't want to feel even worse by having to yell at my son." The Sheriff went into the garage and hit the button on the door as Stiles put his head in his hands._

_"Shit." He wiped at tear out of his eye and swallowed the lump in his throat._

"Maggie? Hey, you alright? Are you getting headaches again?" Stiles asked shaking my shoulder. I looked over at him and shook my head.

"Yeah sorry. Just got a little dizzy for a second. I'm okay." I said before launching myself at him and hugging him tightly. I knocked the wind out of him but he hugged me back.

"Um…what's this for?" He asked into my hair.

"I just thought you might need one." I pulled away and stared into his eyes seeing the hurt and guilt brewing away inside of them. I didn't realize how close we were until Scott cleared his throat at the passenger window.

"Hate to interrupt but we should get going." Scott opened the door and I popped the seat to jump in the back. The ride was silent the whole way and when we arrived, Scott looked at me like I might know what's going on.

"You okay? You didn't say anything the whole way here." Scott asked Stiles and he glanced at the both of us.

"No I'm fine. Just help me with-" I jumped when I felt someone wrap their arms around me.

"There she is. Thanks for getting her here safely but I believe you belong to me the rest of the night." Isaac said taking my hand. I looked back at Stiles his eyes dropped to his feet.

"Let's go already." Erica whined and I let Isaac take my hand.

"Be safe!" Scott called out to me as we walked through the old factory. The music was loud and I could feel about a hundred different emotions brewing in the walls of all the people dancing just a few feet in. Isaac kept looking over at me and smiling as we walked hand in hand.

"You look great." He said having to lean down and put his lips to my ear.

"Thank you." I smiled back as we walked in and saw just how packed the place was.

"Any sign of Jackson?" Erica yelled looking into the crowd.

"Nothing. It's too hard to get a scent on him." Isaac said taking in deep breaths.

"You won't be able to. He can mask it as the kanima or something else. Just keep your eyes open. Try and use your other senses" I said as I scanned the crowd. I caught sight of Scott yelling at Allison and put my hand on Isaac's arm.

"I'll be right back. Don't go far." I yelled before running over to Allison who looked on the verge of tears.

"JUST STAY OUT OF THE WAY!" Scott yelled before running off in the opposite direction just as I reached Allison. I had no idea she was supposed to be here. We hadn't talked about her at all while planning this but he had mentioned her going on a date with Matt to throw suspicion. I guess we just didn't really connect the dots all the way.

"I didn't know! You have to believe me! Scott thinks I sabotaged whatever you guys planned but I didn't mean to." She said putting her hands to her face.

"No no! Don't be silly! He loves you, this was unexpected and he's worried someone will get hurt." I explained unsure of just what Scott said but could tell she was upset. I kept my eyes out towards the crowd and Allison noticed.

"Someone like who?" She asked following my eye line.

"There are a lot of players in this Allison. Anyone could get hurt." I said simply but she saw Erica moving through the crowd.

"Derek? You're working with Derek after everything he's done?" I looked at her almost ready to be offended but I knew getting into it with Allison would only make this more complicated on Scott.

"I can't talk right now but just try to stick by Matt." I pointed seeing him staring over at us.

"Maggie! Talk to me. I can help!" Allison grabbed my arm and I saw Scott talking to Isaac and eyeballing me.

"I can help save them too." Allison pleaded. I looked at her face, desperate to make things right but I didn't have the time to catch her up. Stiles was on his own outside, Derek and Boyd were supposed to be watching the perimeter and Scott, Erica and Isaac were on Kanima watch. I felt bad that Allison wasn't thought of during the planning but there was more important things to worry about right now.

"Please…just let us handle it." Allison knew where my priorities were as I moved back through the crowd to grab a hold of Scott.

"What's going on?" I asked him as he pulled out his phone.

"The Argent's are coming. We need to warn Boyd and Derek." Scott started to dial Derek.

"Derek, the Argent's are on their-" Scott stopped talking and looked at me.

"They're already here aren't they?" I asked keeping my eyes on him.

"I'll go out there and see what I can do, watch out for Jackson. Call me the moment you spot him." Scott said grabbing my arm.

"Be careful, Scotty." I said putting my hand on top of his. He shook his head before glancing behind me and taking off. I made my way through the crowd and Isaac grabbed my arm to pull me close.

"No sign of him yet. " He leaned down and said loud enough for me to hear him. He nudged my shoulder and I looked up at him.

"You okay?" He asked concerned.

"The Argent's are here. Scott's going outside to see if he can help Derek and Boyd. We need to make this count, Isaac. The game just changed and it's making me nervous." Isaac rubbed my shoulders trying to comfort me.

"It's going to be okay. We'll get it done." He let go of my arm and we leaned against a pillar as we kept a look out for Jackson.

 **"** Scott's pretty uptight tonight. He was pretty serious about me being careful so I don't get hurt." Isaac gestured to the needle in his hand.

"Don't seem so surprised. Scott's got a big heart so he's going to care. He was pretty upset when he found out Derek bit you." I informed earning a chuckle of doubt.

"Why? He afraid of a little competition in the wolf game?" Isaac cocked his eyebrow.

"Oh no way, he could totally take you." I teased making him laugh once more. Something I always enjoyed about Isaac was his playful laugh. For someone who experienced so much pain in his life, he had a genuine laugh and a really prefect smile.

"Wow thanks for the vote of confidence. I guess I figured he didn't like me because my feels about you are pretty obvious." I looked over at him to find him staring at me, licking his lips.

"Scott's a good guy no matter how protective he is over me but I think you make him nervous." I said shrugging.

"Why's that?" He pressed just as my phone vibrated with a text from Stiles saying that he needed me outside. I pocketed my phone before turning to Isaac fully catching his attention.

"Because you're the first person I've ever considered having a future with that wasn't Stiles and he knows how deep I care about Stiles." Isaac kept his eyes on me, stunned as I took his hand and led him through the crowd. It was a shame we couldn't actually enjoy being here and dancing but I couldn't get distracted.

"Maggie!" Erica called out and gestured towards Jackson slithering through the crowd. I took the needle from Isaac and he looked over at me.

"Distract him." I said as he and Erica instantly managed to trap him between their bodies, moving and grinding to the music. I started the incantation as I held the needle in my hand and I could feel the ketamine in the injector boiling slightly. I pushed up on Isaac and passed him the injector before running my teeth across his neck but I was knocked to the floor by Jackson as he stuck his claws into both Erica and Isaac.

"Maggie!" Isaac yelled at me and I rubbed my head from hitting the pillar Isaac and I were leaning against.

"GO! WE HAVE TO STOP HIM!" I yelled and Isaac bit his lip as he continued to crawl on the floor. I moved towards Erica and put my hand on her back to pull the venom out before it paralyzed her completely and looked back to see Isaac using all of his strength to stick Jackson with the needle. I ran towards him as Jackson started falling back into him, causing him to fall backwards but I put my hand on his back pulling the toxin and supporting him.

"I got you. I've got you." I said seeing him smirk. The moment Isaac regained his footing he started pulling Jackson's limp body through the people and out towards the storage unit we had found when making the plans for tonight. _  
_

"What do we do now?" Erica asked out of breath.

"I have to make sure Derek and Boyd are alright. I'm going to text Stiles to meet you guys over here but make sure you keep pumping the ketamine in him. The spell will take a few minutes to kick in. Please be careful." I grabbed a hold of both Erica and Isaac's hands making them look at me.

"And please make sure Stiles is careful too." I added earning a nod before running out of the room. I couldn't get Scott to pick up his phone and as I ran out of the door I came through, I noticed the huge gap in mountain ash and Stiles pacing frantically.

"Stiles! What the hell!?" I gestured to the huge 50 foot gap in the ash.

"I _KNOW_!" He yelled gripping his head.

"I don't know what to do! I'm freaking out here okay? I can't get Scott to pick up his phone, there is gunfire in the distance and I'm on the verge of having a heart attack." Stiles was breathing heavy and almost getting himself worked into a panic attack as I jogged towards him.

"Stiles, you've got to calm down okay? Just relax." I put my hands out and his eyes went wide.

"Calm down?! I've failed at my one and only task! I knew I couldn't do this. You guys were wrong, I freaking suck!" I listened to Stiles belittle himself as he paced and I knew we were running out of time so I did the first thing that popped into my mind. I grabbed Stiles by his face and cut him off mid-insult with my lips. He stopped breathing for a moment and I kept my eyes closed unsure of how he'd react to the kiss. I wanted more than anything to get lost in the kiss, the feeling of Stiles lips on mine but Stiles wasn't responding. He had frozen entirely and I realized he was stunned. When I pulled away his eyes were wide and confused making me think of what Scott had said about sending mixed signals. I didn't have time to beat myself up about it. We were running out of time and Stiles had to finish the containment.

"You can do this. Take a deep breath, focus and believe in yourself!" I said firmly thankful that Stiles couldn't hear my heart beating against my chest like it was trying to escape. He swallowed hard and nodded his head.

"I've got to find Derek. Please go to the storage locker once you've finished this and help Isaac and Erica, just be careful. Watch their backs for me." I said licking my lips and still tasting a bit of his minty toothpaste. Either I had shocked him into silence or I somehow managed to steal his voice via my lips because he just kept nodding his head at me as I ran off stupidly in the direction of gunfire. I saw Boyd staggering towards Derek's car.

"Boyd! Oh thank God, are you okay?" I asked looking him over.

"I've been shot. Derek told me to take off. I didn't want to leave him but he made me." Boyd was visibly upset but I rubbed his arm.

"Get to the clinic. Deaton can help you. I'll help Derek. GO!" I shoved him towards Derek's car and started in the direction he came from. I saw Derek go to his knees as Chris Argent and his men shot him with the tasers they carried around. Chris Argent put his hand up when he saw me.

"Maggie, this is no place for you." He said firmly making Derek look back instantly.

"GET OUT OF HERE MAGGIE!" He yelled trying to unclench his teeth.

"I can't do that." I kept my hands up in a surrendered position and they pointed their guns at me.

"Hold your fire!" Chris yelled at them.

"I don't want you to get hurt Maggie." He added and I looked back down at Derek as he finally got his footing.

"I don't want to hurt you either but you don't mess with family." I said just as the men shot their tasers at me. I put my hands up stopping the wires from hitting me like they'd been instantly frozen. They all stood there stunned before I flicked my wrist sending the ends into the two men who had shot me.

"NOW!" I yelled and Derek grabbed the wires that were attached to him and slammed the two men together. Chris Argent made his way towards us and I flicked my wrist once more sending him flying into the side of a dumpster. I helped Derek to his feet and he grabbed my hand as we ran in the other direction. Once we were out of sight Derek jerked my hand around to face him.

"What were you thinking? Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Derek growled at me.

"I was thinking that I'm not going to let anyone hurt my family, not anymore! Especially the Argent's. You can be mad and hate me all you want-" Derek cut me off.

"I DON'T HATE YOU! God...you're just..." He raked his hands through his hair as if his thoughts were driving him crazy.

"It was my fault they died...all of them. We are the last of the Hale's, don't you get that? I can't watch you try to protect me like everyone else because I can't watch you die." Derek and I stood there desperately trying to understand one another. All this time I thought he just wanted me to be apart of his pack because of whatever this great big power I had but I didn't stop to think about how it might be hard for him to watch me take risks when it was just me and him now.

**[Stiles POV]**

I stood there with the almost empty bag of mountain ash in my hand, trying to force myself to focus after Maggie took off in the opposite direction. I hadn't seen it coming. She just hopped up on her tippy toes and pulled me into a kiss that lasted for about 10 seconds. I tried to wrap my head around it but then I remember the task at hand. For some unknown reason that was far beyond me, Maggie believe I was the only person that could make this work. I was the _spark_. However I was currently the impotent bag holder with about a foot of ash left to spread 50 feet. When I finally picked the bag back up, I poured what was left in my hand and stared at it.

"Okay, she said I gotta believe. Come on Stiles, believe. There's freaking werewolves, witches and murderous lizards roaming around. I can do this. Just picture the gap closing. Imagine it working. Just...imagine." I caught sight of a bumper sticker that was oddly familiar and took it as a sign. I took a deep breath like Maggie had told me to do and closed my eyes for a moment picturing the gap closed. When I opened them back up, I started walking and dropping what was left of the ashes in my hand. I got about 10 steps when I felt my hand start to run dry and I closed my eyes once more knowing that I still had a great distance but hoped that just seeing it in my head was enough. I opened my eyes slowly and looked down to see the line had formed perfectly around the building, closing the gap and even looking a lot straighter than when I started.

"Holy shit." I said out loud to myself before letting out a laugh of disbelief and throwing my arms up.

"YES! Oh my God! It totally worked!" Despite being alone I still celebrated the victory of actually doing something helpful and awesome before taking off to meet with Isaac and Erica. When I pulled the door open, they both pulled the claws on me.

"WHOA! WHOA! It's just me!" I put my hands up making them back down. Jackson was slumped to the side in the folding chair looking to be a bit out of it.

"Is he alright?" I asked gesturing to him as Isaac stepped closer. I instantly remember the kiss Maggie gave me and hoped his wolfie senses weren't picking it up. The last thing I needed right now was to get into with this head case.

"Let's find out." Isaac threw his hand out letting his claws push forwards before aiming them in Jackson's direction, only to be stopped suddenly in a death grip that sent him to his knees. I pulled him back just as Jackson released him.

"Okay no one does anything like that again! Alright?!" I pointed at the both of them and Erica nodded looking terrified.

"I thought the ketamine was supposed to put him out?" Isaac asked through gritted teeth as his wrist started to snap back into place.

"The spell that Maggie did probably has him lucid. I'm not sure how we're supposed to communicate with whoever is controlling him but I don't think we can keep breaking bones." I said looking over at Isaac to check if he was alright. He shook his hand out and Jackson's eyes snapped open.

"I'm here...I'm right here with you." It wasn't Jackson but the person controlling him speaking. Jackson's voice was icier than usual and seemed almost to echo with rage. I stepped closer and Erica grabbed my arm.

"It's okay." I said putting a hand on top of hers.

"Maggie told us to protect you." Isaac spoke up making me look back at him confused.

"That's funny because she told me to protect you guys." I said with a chuckle.

"Yeah Maggie's a mama bear, can we please deal with the psycho lizard in the room." Erica interrupted us and I looked back to Jackson.

"Jackson, is that you?" I asked kneeling down in front of him at a safe distance.

"Us, we're all here." Jackson's eyes stayed glassy.

"Are you the one killing people?" I asked trying to figure out who I was talking to, if not Jackson.

"We're the ones killing murderers." He said remaining unmoved.

"So all the people you've killed so far-"

"Deserved it." He cut me off.

"You see we've got a little rule book that says you only go after murderers." I explained.

"Anything can break if enough pressure is applied. Ask the witch." I swallowed the lump in my throat at the mention of Maggie.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Isaac asked and I put my hand up to stop him.

"So the people you're killing are all murderers?" I pressed.

"All...each...every one." His jaw started to clench and I tried to hold back my anger.

"Well who did they murder?" I asked finally and he took a moment.

"Me. They murdered me." His neck started to twitch and his eyes flashed red and yellow.

"They _murdered_ me." I started to move backwards slowly and I felt a hand on my jacket.

"Stiles..." Erica gestured to Jackson's hands now that they were claws and the familiar white toxin dripped from them.

"Oh okay, um ketamine, come on! The man needs ketamine." I said frantically.

"We don't have anymore." Isaac spoke up making me want to instantly headbutt him.

"You used a whole bottle?" I looked at him before taking it and shaking it myself.

"Guys." Erica finally said as Jackson stood up almost completely kanima'd out and screeched. The moment his head started going all exorcist, I felt my heart start racing.

"Alright, everybody out! OUT!" I yelled. Erica grabbed my hand and pulled me through the door, I made sure to grab a hold of Isaac so he wouldn't get left behind. We slammed our bodies against the doors.

"We need to find something heavy to block-" Before I could even finish the thought, the kanima came busting out of the side of the storage locker making us all freeze as it ran towards the rave.

"What do we do now?!" Erica asked out of breath.

"You two go back inside and find Scott!" I pulling my phone out quickly. Erica pulled on Isaac's arm and ran back into the rave. I made my way through the crowd of people leaving, unsure of what to do or where to go. I finally spotted Derek and Maggie by the jeep and ran over to them. I don't know why but I hugged her. She didn't seem surprised or confused though, she just hugged me back and looked me over as if she was checking for injuries.

"So we sort of lost Jackson inside, we clearly should have brought more ketamine." I said as Derek kept his eyes on the exit as Erica and Isaac came out but didn't leave the exit. They looked down at the mountain ash and then looked at each other confused.

"Holy shit...I actually did it. Oh this is awesome! I did something!" I smiled pumped glancing over at Derek who looked as though he couldn't care less. Maggie gripped my arm and gave it a squeeze trying to reel me in while giving me a silent nod. Maggie gripped her head and stumbled into me.

"Mags? Are you okay?" I asked holding onto her.

"It's Scott...something's wrong." She looked over at Derek and there was a growl in the distance.

"Stiles break it." Derek said suddenly as I held onto Maggie.

"What?! No way! Jackson's still in there!" I said but Derek turned to me.

"Scott's dying!" He yelled.

"What? How do you know that?" I asked confused as Maggie leaned off of me.

"OH MY GOD! I JUST KNOW! BREAK THE DAMN LINE!" Derek yelled in my face and I went to my knees quickly, waving my hands over the line to break it. Maggie grabbed Derek's arm and he gently pushed her back into my chest as I stood up.

"I'm going with you." She said firmly but he shook his head.

"Stay with Stiles. I promise I'll bring him back to you, Maggie. I promise." He touched her face and I felt like I completely missed something that happened considering the last time I saw the two of them together, they were less than pleasant to even share the same oxygen.

"Please be careful." She pleaded before Derek dropped his hands and looked at me.

"Get her out of here." He said putting the stern face back on before running away from us. Isaac and Erica run up to us.

"Are you okay?" Isaac put his hands on Maggie and she shook her head.

"Yeah I'm fine, just a little light headed. I'll be okay." She dismissed his concern as he rubbed up and down her arm.

"Where's Boyd?" Erica asked looking at Maggie.

"He was shot with wolfsbane bullets. I sent him to Deaton's. You should go and check on him but make sure you three get back to the rail car undetected. I don't want the Argent's getting any ideas." Maggie said earning a strange look from Isaac.

"What about you? We're not just going to leave you here alone." He rolled his eyes to the side at me.

"Um I know you aren't the brightest crayon in the box but I'm standing right here." I waved my hands around and he glared.

"Oh I see you, I just wish I didn't." Isaac snapped. I stepped forward unafraid of Isaac, werewolf or not but Maggie put her hand on my chest.

"Please stop. You two need to check on Boyd and I've got to wait for word on Scott. I'll make sure to stop by the rail car to check on you guys after." Maggie put her free hand on Isaac arm and he looked away from his death glare on me to look down at Maggie pleading face.

"If you don't at least call, I'm going to come find you." Isaac said almost like a threat. I snorted and turned away from them waiting by the jeep. People started to run out of the club freaking out about a dead body and sirens in the distance made the panic worse. Maggie kissed Isaac on the cheek quickly before he ran off and I tried to pretend I didn't notice when she hopped in the jeep. I drove just far enough away from the rave that we'd still know what was going on but not too close so that we'd get caught. Maggie rubbed her head and stared down at her phone in her lap as she impatiently waited for it to ring with news on Scott.

"I should have gone. How are we supposed to know if he's okay?" Maggie jumped out of the jeep and I followed quickly watching her pace back and forth.

"Hey, it's Scott okay? He'll be fine. Just calm down and breathe." I rubbed her shoulders and she just shook her head.

"How can you be so calm?" She asked surprised.

"Because it's been a pretty shit day already and I don't see it getting much worse? Plus I gathered that you and Derek worked through something considering he promised he'd return Scott alive which was a lot to promise so he must really be on the mend." I explained.

"I'm just tired of all the fighting. The back and forth between all of you." She rubbed her head and I put my hand up.

"All of you? Hey, I'm not the alpha of anything. I'm just Stiles. The Derek/Scott thing is not-" She cut her eyes at me.

"Because you and Isaac are so friendly and cozy to be around together." She said pulling a face.

"That's different." I shrugged making her cross her arms over her chest.

"Oh really? Why's that different?" She pressed putting the pressure on. I licked my lips and remembered the kiss she gave me earlier.

"Because I knew you first. Isaac can't just come in and take you away." I explained. Maggie's face changed.

"He doesn't want to take me away, he want's to date me and be allowed to kiss me whenever he wants." Maggie kept her eyes on me.

"And he's okay with you kissing me while you're technically on a date with him?" I asked seeing her freeze up.

"That's different." She said making me laugh.

"Yeah that's what I thought." I nudged her with my arm and she rolled her eyes, blushing slightly.

"Maybe sometimes I think you just talk too much. Kissing you was the only way I could get you to shut up and focus." I laughed at her.

"Oh so you just pulled the plug, waited a few seconds and put it back in. I'll have you know I'm not an Xbox." I teased getting her to nudge me back.

"Thanks though. It caught me off guard but it was kind of a kick in the ass. I kind of got a wake up call of how much a failure I am as human being earlier and knowing you believed in me that much helped me through it." I explained thinking about my dad.

"My dad got fired tonight. I actually blew him off until I realized he didn't have his gun on him." I hit my head back against the jeep. When Maggie didn't say anything I narrowed my eyes at her.

"I actually already know." I squinted at the confession.

"What?" There was no way she could have found out before me. It just happened tonight and she was at Scott's.

"I accidentally latched with you in the car earlier." I threw my arms out and shook my head. Being a human in a supernatural melting pot was starting to drive me nuts.

"Seriously? You've got to get a handle on that. It's really rude to just accidentally pry into people's heads." I complained earning a look of remorse.

"I know! I'm sorry, I just couldn't help but feel your sadness and when I squeezed your hand it just happened." She explained. I bit my lip nervously, not knowing just how much of it she saw and worried that she'd take on guilt herself.

"Did you…did you see the whole thing?" I glanced over at her and she moved towards me hesitantly as if she was unsure of how angry I was.

"Yeah and I'm sorry you're feeling so guilty because you're trying so hard to protect him from all of this and I know how hard that must be on you." I felt a weight in my chest that I'd been feeling a lot lately. It was getting harder and harder to lie to my dad about everything that was going on but I was too terrified that the truth would get him killed.

"What do I do Mags? I don't want to be this great big disappointment and have my dad hate me but I can't imagine losing him." I said fighting the urge to give in and just breakdown but when Maggie took my hands into her own and laced our fingers I felt the weight lift just slightly.

"I wish more than anything that I could tell you the right thing to do but I honestly don't know. What I do know is that your father loves you more than anything in this world." She squeezed my hands and I let out a sigh of relief leaning my forehead down onto hers.

"Like you said the other night, I'm here for you no matter what. We'll get through this together." I could feel her breath on my lips and wanted to kiss her so bad but I didn't want to ruin the moment. She stared at me for a moment before her phone finally rang making us both step apart. I realize now that this seemed to be a pattern between Maggie and I. It's like no matter how close we got, the world would interrupt us before we could really take a step in any other direction.

**[Maggie's POV]**

When I picked up my phone I was expecting it to be Derek or Scott but instead it was Deaton. He had told me Scott was going to be alright but I needed to get to the clinic as soon as possible. Stiles dad had called him while I was on the phone with Deaton and he made me promise to call him once Scott woke up. The moment I pushed through the clinic door and caught sight of Scott laid out on the table, I couldn't hold back the tears that started to stream down my face. I walked towards him and put my hand on his chest.

"Scott...Scotty." Scott opened his eyes slightly but they rolled around behind his eyelids. I listened to his heartbeat and it was slow but there.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't there. It's going to be okay." I stroked his hair and kept another hand on his cheek feeling how warm he was. I hated seeing him hurt like this. I didn't see any visible wounding which meant whatever hurt him had to be internal.

"It was a vaporized wolfsbane. That combined with Scott's history of asthma would have made for an open and shut natural death." Deaton walked in putting his hand on Scott's shoulder.

"Derek got him out just in time, saved his life. He's going to be just fine." Deaton reassured me before gesturing behind me to see Derek sitting in the corner. I hadn't noticed him when I walked in because of my concern for Scott. I walked over and sat next to Derek as he held onto his arm and kept his eyes on the floor. Deaton walked out of the room giving us some privacy as I kept my eyes on him.

"Are you okay?" I finally breathed. Derek wouldn't lift his head to look at me though. He kept his eyes on the floor.

"I didn't have a lot of childhood friends. Our family was so big, we didn't really need any. So when you told me that Scott was like a brother to you, I wrote it off as just an over exaggeration. A brother is blood, unmovable force and protective. I just didn't see it." Derek shook his head and I reached out to put my hand on his arm. I couldn't deny the small jolt of happiness I got when he referred to the Hale's as our family.

"Scott is a brother to me but that doesn't mean you can't be too." He finally looked at me and his eyes seemed shinny like he might have been upset earlier.

"If I told you that it wasn't your fault that your mom and aunts were killed, would you believe me?" He asked curiously as I blinked slowly.

"Probably about as much if I were to tell you that what Kate did wasn't your fault. Maybe it's a Hale trait." I teased lightly and he touched my hand.

"You are very much a Hale. I should have never said what I said. I see a lot of Laura and Cora in you. I think that's why I've been so afraid to let you have the freedom you've had. I can't take losing another sister. Whether you want to believe it or not, you're my responsibility. We're blood and I lo-" He bit his bottom lip unable to finish his sentence winching.

"Are you okay?" I put my hand on his shoulder and blood got on my hand.

"It was a wolfsbane laced dagger. It'll heal, it's just painful." He explained.

"What the hell happened Derek?" I asked earning a look that told me I didn't want to know but I had to.

"Allison's mom tried to kill Scott." I felt my heartbeat pick up.

"She was trying to kill him and make it look like an accident. When I walked in, she stabbed me in the back." Derek's face scrunched up slightly and he closed his eyes tightly. I squeezed his hand letting him know that I was there for him.

"We fought and I...I bit her." He looked at me with regret in his eyes.

"Thing's are about to get really bad Maggie and as much as I'd love for us to get close, I'm going to be public enemy number one now. I can't bring you into what's about to happen." Derek pleaded squeezing my hand back but I shook my head.

"Don't you get it? We're family, a threat to you is a threat to me. We're going to get through this together alright? You aren't...you aren't allowed to leave me too okay? Please just...don't leave me." I begged letting Derek know how terrified I was of not only what's to come but of the prospect of losing him. He put his arm around me and hugged me to his chest tightly. I could feel Derek's emotions heavily and I didn't know if it was because of the full moon coming or because we were related but the feeling of love was overpowered by a crippling fear. I sat with Derek for a while quietly listening to Scott's heartbeat pick up to a normal pace. I tried not to think about the war that had just been ignited with the Argent's or how tomorrow was going to be the first full moon for Derek's pack. Scott finally spot up from the table and took a deep breath in making Derek and I stand up.

"Hey! Take it easy, take it easy, Scotty." I said rubbing his back. He looked at me and let out a heavy sigh. Derek walked into Scott's line of vision.

"Thank you." Scott said coughing slightly. I walked over and grabbed him a cup of water which he gulped down.

"Did we figure out who's controlling Jackson?" Scott asked curiously but Derek and I both didn't have good news to report. I had left my car at the clinic earlier and decided to go ahead and drive us all over to the railcar so I could check up on Erica, Boyd and Isaac who were all sleeping surprisingly peacefully. I let Derek and Scott talk about what had happened as I made sure Boyd's wounds were okay. It had been a long night and I was starting to feel exhaustion setting in but for some reason I couldn't take a deep breath.

"How do we stop him?" I overhead Scott ask and Derek shook his head.

"I honestly don't know, I don't even know if we can." Derek answered.

"Maybe we should let the Argent's handle it." Scott offered as I walked in.

"I think their priorities are going to change drastically after tonight." Derek sent me a look and I remembered we decided not to tell Scott about Allison's mom. There was too much going on right now and he'd almost died tonight.

"I bit him, he's my responsibility. It's my fault." Derek clenched his teeth together.

"Yeah but you didn't turn him into this. This happened because of something that happened in his past." Scott defended.

"That's a legend in a book, it's not that simple." Derek fought Scott and I realize now that the Hale guilt is without a doubt a family trait.

"I'm just a legend in a book too." I spoke up making them both look at me.

"You both should go home, get some rest and heal. The full moon is coming and with the way thing's are going, it's going to be a rough one." Derek said looking between Scott and I. Scott went to walk out and I walked over to Derek, putting my hand on his neck and making him stare up at me.

"Get some rest yourself. I'll call you in the morning." I said firmly making him shake his head. I turned around and followed Scott out of the rail car in silence but I could feel his eyes on me as we got into the car and headed towards his house.

"I'm happy that you and Derek seemed to have worked things out. I think that's really good...for the both of you. You two need each other." Scott finally spoke up and I glanced over at him to see a soft smile on his face.

"You think so?" I asked genuinely and he took my hand that rested on the middle console.

"You'll always have me and Stiles, you know that. You and Derek are all the family you have. I think the closer you are, the stronger you'll be. That's what family is, right?" He shrugged. I nodded at him and pulled up in front of his house. When I got out, I walked around and hugged him tightly.

"I love you Scotty. I really do." I held onto him and he rested his head on mine.

"I love you too Mags. It's going to be okay. Don't worry." He said kissing the top of my head. I followed Scott inside and made sure he went straight to bed. I watched him sleep for almost an hour before I walked into the guest room, changed into sweats and an oversized shirt and tried to lay down. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw visions of Scott being cut in half by Victoria Argent. Gerard cutting Derek into pieces and Allison filling the pack with arrows. I finally sat up and felt the weight in my chest ease slightly. It was like falling asleep with a dumbbell on my chest. It only eased when I sat up. I wiped the tears from my face and licked my lips. I quietly grabbed my shoes and jacket before sneaking out of the window. I decided walking would be best since the car starting would only wake Scott. I let my feet take me to Stiles house but instead of sneaking in like last time, I knocked on the front door. Stiles light came on and I heard multiple feet walking around inside but it was John who opened the door.

"Maggie? It's 2AM. Are you okay?" He opened the door wide like he was inviting me in but I stayed outside, arms wrapped around myself.

"I-I'm sorry for coming by so late, I know I should have but I just...I need to talk to Stiles. I didn't want you to think I was crossing the line again but I just really need to talk to him." I wiped my tears away quickly and he reached out pulled me into the house.

"What happened? Are you hurt?" John asked shutting the door and looking me over just as Stiles came rushing down the stairs.

"Maggie!" He jumped the last few stairs and ran towards me.

"I'm so sorry for coming over so late, I know I'm not supposed to-" John cut me off.

"Hey! You're always welcome here. Do I need to call Melissa and let her know-" John said firmly.

"Please don't. Scott's at home sleeping and I left her a note letting her know I would be coming here. I don't want to wake them." The mention of Scott made Stiles heartbeat slow down knowing his best friend was alive and well.

"But are you okay?" John pressed. I thought about everything that had happened and couldn't fight the tears.

"It's just been a really rough night and I can't sleep...I can't close my eyes without seeing horrible things and I can't sleep because every time I lay down, I can't breathe." I choked out a sob and Stiles frowned.

"I just really needed to talk to Stiles. He always seems to know what to say to calm me down." I remembered our talk earlier and he nodded his head.

"Look, just calm down. Why don't you go upstairs and talk. Get some sleep if you can, in separate beds but if your anxiety gets worse, I'd like to take you to the hospital." John said as Stiles moved closer to me.

"Are you sure? I can just talk to him down here and leave when-" John waved his hand around.

"Maggie...stop okay? I love you like you were my own and you are always welcome here. Tonight, you're staying and in the morning, if you're ready, you can go to school. If not, we'll go have a talk with Melissa about what we can do to help alright?" I listened to his heart and he wasn't lying. I shook my head and let Stiles take my hand, leading me up the stairs. I sat down on Stiles bed and listened to him talk outside the door with his dad about how he was trusting him and not to do anything stupid and I felt more tears roll down my face. Stiles finally walked in and shut the door. He looked at me and I covered my face.

"Scott's okay?" He asked and I nodded my head.

"Derek? Isaac and Erica? Boyd? They're all okay too?" He stepped towards me and I nodded again.

"Then please tell me why you're freaking out before I start freaking out because you're crying and shaking...please tell me how I can help you." Stiles pleaded kneeling down in front of me.

"Do you remember when I told you that I felt like something bad was coming? Well it's here Stiles. It's happening and I don't know how to fight it or prepare myself for losing someone I care about." I stood up and walked over to the window staring out at the moon. Soon it would be full and all hell would break lose.

"Tell me how I can help you Maggie. I'll do whatever you need me to do." Stiles said from behind me. I took a deep breath before turning around to face him. His face was strong and ready. I felt pathetic but I knew that I wouldn't be able to sleep if I were at Scott's.

"The only time I feel normal...the only time I feel like I can breath and not think about someone I love dying is when you hold me. So if you could please just hold me-" Stiles didn't wait until I finished my sentence before he closed the distance between us and pulled me into his chest. I cried into his shirt as he rubbed the back of my head.

"I'm so scared, Stiles." I admitted only making him hug me tighter.

"I'm right here Maggie. It's okay, I'm here." Stiles stood holding me for the longest time as I held onto his shirt desperately dreading the full moon. I tried to take a deep breath once more and was finally able to calm myself. As much as I hate admitting it, Stiles was what kept my feet on the ground. Whenever I felt like I might fall apart or float away, he held onto me and I felt complete. The only reason I hated admitting it was because it could very well be a death sentence for him and that terrified me more than anything.


	9. House Of Horrors

**[Lydia's POV]**

The noise should have been what I was focused on but it wasn't. I was taking a shower one minute and the next I was back on the lacrosse field wearing my homecoming dress with people on all sides cheering me on but I spotted Maggie right away screaming out to me. She was thrashing and trying to be heard but nothing came out of her mouth. I felt panicked and anxious as I looked around for more familiar faces but no one else stood out. I tried to read her lips but she threw her hand out, pointing like a warning of something approaching. I turned around slowly and just like the nightmare that I had to endure, there he was. Walking towards me like a man on a mission, dead eyed and vicious as he grew closer. I could hear my heart beating loudly in my chest as I turned to run but I was quickly tackled to the ground. I clawed at the grass but it merely tore away in my hands as if it were terrified itself. I shot up in bed as his teeth sank into my neck.

I was breathing heavy and crying as I pushed my comforter off my legs. When I looked down at my pajama clad legs, I noticed dirt and grass on my sheets. That's when the smell hit my nose. The smell of putrid, burnt flesh covered in stall earth sitting right next to me.

"You aren't real. Leave me alone." I said not bothering to look at him.

"Not yet I'm not which means I unfortunately can't leave you alone, at least not yet." Peter Hale sat up in my bed and I closed my eyes tightly to try and rid him of my mind.

"What do you want from me?" I asked trying not to sound as terrified as I actually was. He reached up and caressed my face, letting his disgustingly long fingernails just barely scratch my face like he was reminding me he could hurt me again.

"Only every single thing I ask." He seethed into my ear giving me uncomfortable chills. He jumped out of my bed suddenly and pulled on my hand leading me out of my bed. I knew I had to be dreaming.

"This whole thing is about timing. What I need you to do has to be done on the next full moon. Do you know what the full moon in March is called? It's called the worm moon." Peter explained just as I felt something cold and slimy crawling through my toes. I freaking out just a bit as his grip on my hand tightened.

"They call it that because it's the last full moon of the winter and the worms literally crawl out of the earth as it thaws. It's like a rebirth." He was covered in dirt and worms now. He pulled me down the rest of the stairs and towards the living room.

"Is that how Maggie survived? I heard she died and came back...maybe she's the one who should be helping you." I offered but he chuckled.

"No Maggie was brought back because of her magic. She is something special and you'll find out what your connection with her is but right now she needs me and you're going to help me so I can help her." Peter explained.

"But the full moon is Wednesday...that's my birthday." I said remembering my party.

"Exactly. Lydia's party is the party of the year, everyone wants to attend. So we're going to make it a very special event." He said as I watched myself through the glass doors serving people, like I was getting a sneak preview at what my party would look like.

"Maggie and I aren't exactly best friends. What makes you think she would come anyway?" I said staring at the people and trying to pinch myself to wake up.

"You'll invite her personally. It's very important that she attend. Besides, maybe it's time you two got closer. After all, you do have an unspoken bond." He tucked my hair behind my ear and I blinked back tears.

"And what if I don't?" I challenged but after just a beat of silence the people that were happily partying outside the glass doors were now a bloody mess, bodies piled and torn to shreds.

"I think it's best we make a plan and stick to it that way no one gets hurt." Suddenly the people were back on their feet and staring at me, expecting me to do whatever this monster told me to do.

"Why me?" I asked desperately. He kept saying I was connected to Maggie and even though I felt something underneath all the bluster and animosity, I just couldn't wrap my head around it.

"Lydia Martin isn't just beautiful and incredibly intelligent, she's immune." He chuckled like it was a joke but I shook my head confused.

"Immune?" I questioned.

"Oh that's right they haven't told you yet. I bet you've felt like the last to know for a long time. It doesn't feel good does it? You certainly deserve to know everything. Well not everything but it's probably best if I just show you." He disappeared into thin air and I looked around the room confused. There was no longer people outside the house, no random dead guy creeping me out. I was alone for a moment but it was only a moment. I felt like I was being watched, stalked from another window and as I slowly turned, my eyes caught sight of a giant beast with glowing red eyes. I started to back away slowly, panic setting in as I began hyperventilating but as it bared it's teeth and darted through the window towards me, I let out a piercing scream that could wake the dead.

**[Maggie's POV]**

My eyes shot open in the dimly lit room, breathing heavy and feeling the stinging pain in my chest where my scar rested as a reminder of my father's attack. It only took me a minute to realize I was in Stiles bed. I glanced down at my hand and my fingers were laced with Stiles as he sat in a chair on the floor, feet resting on the nightstand and head drooped to the side as he drooled on himself. He had respected his father's wishes and stayed out of the bed but I felt bad that I had passed out. I had cried for over an hour thinking about the Argent's coming after Derek and Scott. The thought of losing either of them made my whole body quake with fear. Stiles held me the entire time. I don't even remember him putting me to bed but I looked from his peaceful face to our hands once again. It was nice holding onto his hand. I pulled my hand from his slowly, not trying to wake him and slid out of his bed. I walked into the bathroom and tried to clean myself up as much as I could before walking down the stairs to the kitchen.

I locked eyes with the Sheriff...John in regular clothes and remembered that he had gotten fired just last night.

"I was just making some breakfast. There's some juice in the fridge." He pointed towards the fridge with a spatula. It smelled of pancakes as I walked to the fridge. I sat down at the table and sipped it.

"I'm sorr-" John cut me off.

"If you apologize one more time, I'm going to hit you with this spatula." He turned towards me as he pulled the last of the pancakes off the griddle and walked them towards me.

"Look, I was hard on you the other night and maybe I was a bit too harsh." He sat down next to me and I shook my head.

"You weren't. You were right to upset with me. I shouldn't have been in bed with Stiles. It was inappropriate and I took advantage of your hospitality." John let out a heavy sigh.

"See I don't like that word. I hate myself for using it. Hospitality is what you would have for a guest in your home but you're a guest, Maggie. You're family." John looked at me as I chewed on my lip.

"I know how much you care about him and I'm glad he's finally getting his act together and seeing further than a girl who doesn't give him the time of day. But I guess I just don't want either of you getting hurt." He reached out and put his hand on top of mine.

"I've been really stressed lately with all that's going on and I shouldn't have taken it out on you." He said firmly.

"Well with kids like Stiles and I driving you up the wall, it's bound to happen." I shrugged earning a smile.

"You know you'll always be like a daughter to me, Maggie. Sometimes parent's say things they don't mean but at the end of the day we still love you guys to death." He patted my hand and I nodded.

"Thank you for showing me what it's like to have a real father." I said earning a taken back look but a quick smile to follow.

"Eat those pancakes before Stiles comes barreling down here." He got up from the table and walked to the fridge. It was nice to know that things weren't completely broken with John and I.

"You know, they're going to realize pretty fast that they made a huge mistake." I spoke up putting pancakes on my plate.

"Who?" He asked still in the fridge.

"The town consul. You're the best Sheriff Beacon Hills could ask for." He turned around and gave me a nod of appreciation before handing me the butter. We sat and ate for a few moments before I heard Stiles feet padding quickly across the floor above us.

"Maggie!?" He came barreling down the steps and stopped when he saw us.

"I'm here and I'm eating your pancakes." Stiles looked between me and his dad and when John finally stood up chuckling, Stiles came down the stairs to join me.

"Son, you've got to get to school soon so hurry it up." John patted him on the back as he passed him to go back up the stairs. Stiles nodded confused before sitting in front of me.

"Did I miss something?" His eyebrows were up and I just smiled. He kept his eyes on me as he cut into some pancakes.

"Are you feeling up for school today? I could probably talk my dad into-" I reached over and touched his hand.

"I'm fine...thanks to you." Stiles turned his hand up and held onto mine, running his thumb over the back of my hand. I didn't let my hand linger in his too long now that he was awake. I ran back upstairs to change and get ready for school and somehow Stiles managed to be ready and waiting. He was trying to talk to his dad but the moment John spotted me, he rushed Stiles towards the door.

"You kids try and have a good day." John waved at me and Stiles let out a defeated sigh as we walked out and got into the jeep.

"He hates me." Stiles breathed.

"He could never hate you." I dismissed.

"Maggie, I got him fired. He could barely look at me just now." Stiles hit his steering wheel with his palm.

"They'll realize it was a mistake and he'll be back in that chair by the end of the week. Come on Stiles, look at me." I said turning in the passenger seat. He rolled his eyes to the side and finally met my gaze.

"You and your dad have the best father and son relationship out of the whole lot of us. You may drive him nuts but he loves you more than life itself. Once he's back as Sheriff, I'll personally tie you to a chair so you can't commit anymore crimes." Stiles chuckled.

"You want to know something I learned last night?" Stiles said as we pulled into the school lot and hopped out of the jeep.

"Other than I'm a mess?" I questioned earning a look as he opened the door to the school and held it for me.

"You aren't a mess. You get really bad feelings and most of time they're justified so that can make anyone a little edgy." Stiles explained away my breakdown last night but I knew we were in for it. Something was going to happen. The Argent's wouldn't stand for what Derek did and to know that Victoria tried to kill Scott, even when Chris had once said they didn't kill kids meant that war wasn't too far off. Plus now that we knew Jackson was the kanima and we couldn't stop him without knowing who controlled him, he would more than likely end up killing someone else.

"Did you hear me?" Stiles snapped me out of it.

"What? Sorry I was kind of spacing." I admitted. Stiles narrowed his eyes at me as I stopped in front of my locker.

"You okay?" He asked.

"What did you learn last night?" I changed the subject and he rolled his eyes.

"I learned that I really like holding your hand." He said catching me off guard. I tried not to blush by burying my head in my locker trying to look busy.

"Oh yeah?" I cut my eyes at him quick and he held onto the door of my locker.

"Yeah, I mean I don't have a whole lot of people to compare it to. Heather let me hold her hand in like preschool but stopped when I became fascinated with glue." Stiles rolled his eyes up to the ceiling recounting the childhood story and I laughed. I actually knew who he was talking about and was insanely glad when she moved away after our first year of grade school together.

"It's good to see you smile. I like your smile." Stiles held my gaze and for a moment it kind of seemed like he was moving in to do something.

"Maggie! There you are, I've been looking all over for you." Stiles and I both jumped as Lydia walked over to us.

"I didn't do it?" I said unsure of why Lydia would be looking for me.

"Look, my birthday party is tonight." Lydia smiled at me and I glanced at Stiles.

"Happy Birthday." I said politely earning a smile.

"Thank you, I was actually hoping you would come by the party tonight. It starts at 10." Lydia kept her eyes on me as I stood flabbergasted.

"Seriously? I don't think I'm really up for having pig's blood thrown on me or anything." I said rolling my eyes. Stiles hit me in the side with the back of his hand and I straightened my body back out.

"Look, I know we aren't close and were pretty terrible to one another but I don't want to be your enemy anymore." Lydia explained.

"Well that's kind of a relief." I said listening to her heartbeat to hear that she was genuine. When I cut my eyes towards Stiles, he seemed equally surprised we were being so cordial.

"I appreciate the invite but I actually have prior engagements to go to." Remembering that I told Derek I would help him with Erica, Isaac and Boyd during the change.

"But you have to be there!" Lydia's eyes went wide and she grabbed my arm as if she were about to beg. I was a bit thrown by her insistence. She let go of my arm and tried to compose herself.

"Please Maggie…I'm making an effort here. Everyone else thinks I'm crazy and you're the only one who seems to actually care how I'm doing after...what happened." Lydia kept her eyes on me and I let out a heavy breath. Derek would probably be mad but I felt obligated to Lydia. It was my father who screwed up her life.

"Starts at 10?" I asked. She shook her head slowly letting a smile slip back onto her mouth.

"Okay, I'll be there." I threw my hands up and Lydia's smiled got wider sticking her chest out confidently.

"Great. See you tonight." She said before turning and started down the hall. I let my head rest against my locker door and Stiles clicked his tongue to his teeth.

"So…that just happened." I watched Lydia walk down the hall and she seemed fine, almost too fine though. It was strange to think that Lydia had thrown up the white flag.

"Maybe we could go together? I mean I'm going too so it could be like a...date." I looked over at Stiles with eyebrows raised.

"You want to take me on a date...to Lydia's birthday party?" I questioned out loud and he pulled a face.

"Ye-no what? That's not-" Stiles tried to cover.

"I'm just saying, we should go on a date." I could hear how fast Stiles heart was beating and knew he was serious.

"Is this because of Isaac or do you actually want to take me on a legit date?" I questioned turning my body towards Stiles. The feelings I was getting off of Stiles was nervousness, he was anxious with just a hint of lust but with Stiles he always seemed to radiate the slightest amount of lust. I typically chalked it up to him being a teenage boy.

"No it's not about Isaac. I just...you and I both know there have been a few things...lingering. We don't talk about them but maybe we should. Maybe we should try and see what happens." Stiles took a step closer to me and I swallowed hard. It was hard to breathe with Stiles so close to me but I couldn't bring myself to take a step back. I enjoyed him in my personal space.

"Okay." I breathed. Stiles eyes went wide.

"Okay...seriously? Wow I didn't think you'd say yes. I thought for sure you'd find some excuse to shut me down." Stiles was in disbelief.

"Well you're right. There have been a few things we should probably talk about. I guess we don't really know how all this going to play out so there's no point in leaving it up in the air." I explained. Stiles smiled at me.

"Then I'll pick you up at Scott's around 9:00. We can talk beforehand." Stiles said but I shook my head.

"I have to at least check up on Derek and the others, make sure he'll be okay on his own. Can I meet you at Lydia's?" I asked watching him eagerly shake his head.

"Yeah of course. We can talk after. I mean spring break starts tomorrow right? Maybe we could even go on a few more dates if tonight isn't horrible." Stiles suggested making me smile. He was pretty optimistic about a date with me which made me blush.

"Alright then I'll see you there." I hesitated meeting his gaze but when I finally did he just returned the smile. We walked to class together in silence. As excited as I was, I knew that anything could happen tonight and getting my hopes up would only mean setting myself up for disappointment. I found it entirely too hard to focus in class though. Everything always seemed to pile up on one day. It was quite annoying.

"Hey...pst." I glanced over and Scott was looking at me.

"You look like Derek when you think that hard." Scott whispered making me roll my eyes. He turned back to his notebook.

**[Derek's POV]**

I opened the box that held the restraints I was going to use on Erica, Isaac and Boyd tonight with them linger around the railcar. I told them not to go to school just in case they started to feel the change coming on. Maggie had come over right after school to make sure Boyd had fully recovered but I could tell she was hovering close to make sure I didn't need help. Isaac leaned down and traced the pattern of the lid of the box.

"What does this mean?" He asked but before I could answer, Boyd spoke up.

"It's a triskele." Erica and Maggie came out of the railcar and looked at Boyd, just as Isaac and I did.

"The spirals mean different things. Past, present, future. Mother, father, child." He explained further.

"Wow Boyd, bonus points." Maggie said with a smile.

"Do you know what it means to me?" I challenged.

"Alpha, Beta, Omega." Boyd had been doing a lot of work helping me figure out how to stop Jackson. I had to let someone help me leaf through my families books and records and Boyd seemed to be genuinely interested in the history of the wolf.

"That's right. It's a spiral, it reminds us we can all rise to one or fall to another. Betas can become alphas but alphas can also fall to betas or even omegas." I explained.

"You mean like Scott?" Isaac's disdain was noted.

"Scott's with us." I said simply.

"Really? Where's he now?" He looked around the railcar like a smartass.

"He's looking for Jackson." I raised my voice.

"He's not going to have it easy tonight either, none of us are." Maggie tried to calm Isaac's attitude but he'd been moping since she decided to stay with Stiles the other night instead of here.

"There's a price for this kind of power. You get the ability to heal but tonight you're going to want to kill anything you find." I handed him the chains and he took them.

"It's a good thing I had my period last week then." Erica smirked. Maggie shook her head.

"What about you? Where are you going?" I asked Maggie earning a confused look.

"What do you mean? I'm here to help you." She shrugged.

"She did get invited to Lydia's birthday party though...lucky bitch." Erica teased making Maggie hit her playfully.

"The last place I need to be is a party. I'll probably just text Stiles and let him know I couldn't make it." She played it off like she didn't want to go but I could tell there was something else.

"What's going on?" I asked handing the chains off to Boyd. Maggie sat down on the steps and shook her head.

"I just I've been having these dreams...about Peter." She paused taking in my surprise.

"But it's like I'm not really having them, I'm just there. It's like he can't see me or touch me but he knows I'm watching or something." She explained.

"It sounds like maybe they're someone else's dreams. Who is he talking to in the dream?" Boyd asked.

"Lydia." Maggie bit her bottom lip. It made me think of mother. She would be able to explain a nightmare down to what you were wearing or symbols you recognized. I saw a lot of our family in Maggie. Some days it was hard to make comparisons because I'd always think she was doomed like they were but I knew it had to be different this time. I would give my life to protect her. The wisdom and need to nurture like my mother, the fighter and rebel that made up Laura and the stubbornness that embodied Cora even at such a young age. There was no doubt she was a Hale but any open connection she seemed to be having with Peter was something to worry about.

"I know there is some sort of connection with Lydia and I. I don't know what it is but I feel it. Whatever tether Peter put on her before you killed him is still there and I'm not sure how I can even begin to help her. I just know I'm not going to let her get hurt by this again." Maggie added.

"Is being protective a part of the shift?" Isaac questioned.

"No I'm pretty sure that's just being a Hale." Erica snorted. Maggie smiled at the mention of being a Hale and I kept my eyes on her.

 **"** You should go to the party." I said clearly catching all of them off guard.

"Um…yeah what? Are you serious?" She shook her head as if she'd heard me wrong.

"Yes I'm serious. You should keep an eye out for Scott and the others since Jackson is still out there. Plus if you're instincts are telling you something is off with Lydia then you need to be close." I explained walking towards her.

"Derek's right. Besides, someone should be having fun." Erica rolled her eyes.

"Actually that sounds like a terrible idea. We don't know how the full moon will effect her and she can't take on the kanima alone." Isaac let the chains hit the floor in front of him.

"Do you think it's a bad idea because she might get hurt or because she might finally work things out with Stiles?" Erica smirked at Isaac who shot her a glare that spoke volumes.

"It's a bad idea." He said firmly but Maggie put her hand on his arm.

"I appreciate the suggestions guys but I'm not sure I even want to go." Isaac seemed to relax upon hearing that and I let out a sigh. I was ready to smack him in the back of his head but before I could say anything Boyd beat me to it.

"Go. Keep your eyes open and if you happen to enjoy yourself for 5 minutes then so be it. You can handle yourself better than anyone." Boyd didn't have a whole lot to say but he had a lot of principles. I liked that about him. He had heart and character, I assumed it was because of his ROTC background or because he was the man of his house but I made me feel reassured that he always kept Maggie's best interest at heart. He never let me sell her short or doubt her.

"Well put, Boyd." Erica smiled proudly at Boyd. They'd grown closer. Maggie let her eyes move from Boyd back to me. I gave her a reassuring nod of approval and she mimicked my motions.

"Fine…I'll see you all in the morning then." She rubbed the back of her neck like she was going to hurry out but she made sure to walk over to Erica, Boyd and Isaac giving them words of reassurance about tonight before hugging them. She ran over to me and hugged me tightly.

"You call me if you need anything. I will leave the party with Lydia on my back if I have to. Just call." She said with her arms still firmly wrapped around my neck. I patted her back.

"I will. Be careful and if you feel like you can't control yourself then you have Scott get you the hell out of there." I pulled out of the hug and looked at her. She shook her head before giving me a quick smile. She waved at Erica, Boyd and Isaac before heading up the stairs. We all collectively waited to hear her car pull onto the street before talking.

"Let's get you chained up." I picked up the chain but I picked up on Isaac's resistance.

"Either say your peace or help out." I said not even bothering to look at him.

"What if the Argent's get her? What if she wolfs out in a house full of our classmates? What if she gets hurt? There are a million things I feel like we overlooked and yet here were are, about to chain ourselves up and be useless. I told you that I wanted to protect her and I meant it." Isaac said as I started to chain Boyd's wrist down.

"I know you meant it but you can't protect her tonight. You have to protect yourself." I explained getting both Boyd's arms secure before moving over to Erica.

"Listen, If she's here when you three turn, you could kill her. Trust me when I say, it's better for her to be away because if she sees you struggling she'll want to help relieve your pain. That's just the way she is. You haven't learned to control it yet and once you do, you'll be fine to be around her." I explained carefully as I locked Erica's wrists down.

"I'm going to need you to hold her down, can you do that?" I asked him making sure his head was here and not with Maggie.

"Yeah I can do it. I don't know why she gets the crown thingy though." He questioned.

"Because she can withstand more pain than both of you." I could smell Erica's fear but she looked at me proudly.

"Are you ready?" I asked her letting her get one last moment of peace before I fitted the crown to her golden head and started to turn the screws. Erica's screams became louder and more shrill the deeper the nails grinded into her skull. Boyd looked away and I tried to go as quickly as I could. Almost an hour passed before I finally got Isaac situated into a seat away from the two of them as they thrashed around at the end of the car. Isaac kept taking deep breaths and I knew he was starting to feel the changes.

"How do you not feel this?" Gritting his teeth.

"I feel every second of it. I just know how to control it." I said locking his wrists down.

"Then how do you control it?" He pressed.

"Find an anchor, something meaningful to you. Bind yourself to it and keep the human side in control." I explained to him.

"What's it for you?" I looked up at him and thought for a moment what it had been all these years. Knowing that it was my fault that my entire family was burned alive, that my stupidity cost them their lives. My self hate and anger to those responsible has kept me human since I was young but for a split second, Maggie popped into my head. The thought of living through all of this, spending time and holidays with her, developing a bit of normalcy seemed ideal. It was the first time I thought my anchor could be something other than anger and that gave me hope.

**[Stiles POV]**

I had a good portion of my shirts on my bed and I kept floating between 4 of them. I'd never felt so much pressure to put a shirt on in my life. I floated from the year books on my desk back to the shirts and knew that I had a few hours before it was time to head to Lydia's but I couldn't shake the nerves. I was excited to actually have a legit date with Maggie but on the flip side, I felt bad knowing my dad would be sitting at home...watching TV and not being the Sheriff. He was surprisingly coy about the whole thing but I knew it was just eating him up. The worst part is that he kept trying to convince me that it wasn't my fault but when they specifically specify that you have an unruly, criminal son and you're supposed to be in charge of a whole town it doesn't just kind of confirm it.

"Hey what are you doing?" Dad walked by my door and stopped.

"Um...homework." I said continuing to flip through the pages. He nodded and kept walking but only for a beat before coming in and shutting the books.

"Dad, I'm just trying to satisfy my own curiosity." I breathed.

"Look, they brought Harris in for questioning this morning and they're working on a warrant to arrest him for the murders." Every time he used the word _they,_ I could see the twinge in his face. It was killing him to not be directly involved.

"They also have tire tracks that match his car by where the couple's trailer was. Same car was seen parked outside the hospital where the wife was killed. Apparently he's got some sort of bumper sticker, a quote by Einstein about imagination and knowledge." I connected the dots instantly.

"Imagination is more important than knowledge, yeah I saw the same car parked outside the rave." I shook my head.

"That makes you a witness, you'll have to give a statement." Dad said but I wasn't convinced.

"That just doesn't make sense. Mr. Lahey and the concert promoter don't fit that theory." I shook my head and pulled open another book.

"I thought you hated this guy?" He asked as I flipped through the pages.

"I don't hate him, he hates me and yeah if he did it then lock the psycho up but if he didn't that means someone else might get killed." Dad let out a heavy sigh before sitting next to me.

"Hey...hey, you don't have to solve this for me okay?" I looked over at him. He gestured to the bed and I turned my chair towards him.

"What's with all the shirts? Planning a vacation?" Dad joked.

"No I'm trying to figure out which to wear to Lydia's birthday party tonight." I ran my hands over my head in frustration.

"That explains the 200$ worth of women's jewelry on the credit card." Dad narrowed his eyes at me.

"No I'd already spent money last month trying to figure out what she might want. The women's jewelry is for Maggie but I don't really think she'll like any of those so I'll probably just return it." I huffed.

"Jewelry for Maggie? Why are you buying jewelry for Maggie?" He pressed.

"I asked her out on a date." I watched his eyes get wide suddenly.

"Seriously? Well that's great son. That's the best news I've gotten all day." He clapped me on the back.

"Really? I thought you were against Maggie and I together." I pinned my eyebrows together but he laughed.

"I'm against you two sleeping in the same bed when you both clearly have feelings for each other. They don't take your badge for that, they kind of take the kid away and I've just gotten used to ya." He shoved my shoulder and I suddenly felt like I was the last to realize something.

"We're supposed to meet at Lydia's party tonight, sort of like a pre-date. I don't know though. I mean I kind of think she has a thing for someone else. It's like she gets all hot and cold when it comes to how she feels about him." I rubbed at the back of my neck and dad grinned.

"Your mother used to be like that. She cared about everyone so of course I naturally assumed she was into every other guy except me." He explained with a thoughtful smile.

"How did you know you were on her radar?" I asked curiously.

"I knew she was worth the chance. It took me 20 minutes to get the courage to ask her but by the time I walked over to talk to her she let out an exhausted sigh and said one thing I'll never forget." He shook his head.

"She said it's about time, Stilinski." He looked at me and I laughed.

"Then she threatened me and told me if I hadn't come over to ask her out then she might hit me." It was nice to talk about mom with dad and it not be sad or under false pretense. It made me miss her but it was the memories like that that made me happy.

"Wear the green one. Sometimes Maggie's eyes have flecks of green in them." I chuckled lightly knowing dad had no idea just how green her eyes could get. I looked over at him and his gaze had shifted to the desk where I left the yearbooks.

"What? What is it?" I asked.

"Look at the swim team." He mumbled. I looked down and noticed the swim team contained most of the victims, including Mr. Lahey.

"I'm going to call this in. You change and get to that party." I stood up and shook my head head.

"Are you sure I can't-" He cut me off.

"Son, I couldn't have done this without you. Thank you and good luck tonight." He put his hand on my shoulder, giving it a squeeze before walking out of the room. I looked back to my bed and grabbed the green shirt. I took a quick shower before changing into the green shirt dad had suggested and giving Scott a call. I still hadn't gotten a text from Maggie so I decided to send her a text while sitting in Scott's driveway.

**Text to Maggie:**   
_Hey we're still on for tonight right? No last minute life threatening things going on? I mean other than the obvious._

Scott came out of his house and my phone beeped.

**Text from Maggie:**   
_I didn't think it was possible to ramble via text. I left my clothes at the new house, I had to run out to grab some. I'm getting dressed now. I'll meet you there in a bit._

I smiled and looked over at the text as Scott jumped in.

"What are you smiling about?" He asked looking less than thrilled about going to this party. I realized I hadn't exactly had the chance to tell Scott I was making the big move on Maggie and wasn't really sure about how he'd take it.

"Well we need to have an important talk." I said pocketing my phone.

"If you're talking about Maggie then I already know. She was freaking out about Nathan taking the wrong boxes to the new place and took off without a shirt on. My mom almost had a heart attack so...yeah. Congrats, don't blow it." Scott's attitude was not going to bring me down. Knowing that Maggie was as nervous as I was made me feel a bit more at ease.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence Scotty. Cheer up though because I have good news. Dad and I made a breakthrough with who might be controlling the kanima." Scott hit my arm.

"Dude! You told your dad!?" Scott started freaking and I cut my eyes at him as I started towards Lydia's.

"Yes, I told my dad about werewolves and murderous lizards...NO! We were looking for the common thread. We figured out that it had something to do with water, the fact that all the victims were on the swim team and the way the kanima reacted around the pool." I explained.

"So whoever's controlling the kanima really hates the swim team." Scott said.

"Hated the swim team, specially the 2006 swim team. So it could be another teacher or a student back then. Who are we missing though? Who haven't we thought of?" I asked. We bounced ideas off each other before parking out front of Lydia's and heading inside. There weren't many cars out front and with the exception of some music being played there wasn't a whole lot of noise within the house. Lydia greeted us at the door and told us to try the punch but Scott headed towards the backyard. My guess was to see who had arrived but once I caught up with him, it wasn't hard to count the whooping number of attendees.

"Ah Jackson's not here." Allison walked up looking equally as unhappy as Scott's.

"Yeah no one's really here." I said looking around. Lydia was pouting over by the punch fountain and I actually felt pretty bad for her.

"Maybe it's just early?" Scott suggested.

"Or maybe nobody's coming because Lydia's turned into the town whack job." There was no point in sugarcoating it. Lydia had fallen from grace as far as the popularity scale ranged.

"Well we have to do something because we've completely ignored her for the past two weeks." Allison said making Scott snort.

"She's completely ignored Stiles the last 10 years." He took the shot and I shrugged my shoulders.

"To be fair, I like to consider myself not exactly on her radar but that doesn't matter because Maggie's my date tonight." I smoothed out my shirt proudly.

"Really? When did that happen? Where is she?" Allison questioned surprised.

"It happened earlier today when Lydia held up the white flag and asked her to come. I sort of slipped in and made the big move." I smiled smugly.

"She's running late." Scott added.

"That's really great Stiles. I'm happy for you both." I could tell Allison was a little bummed that Maggie hadn't called her.

"We don't owe Lydia a party." Scott sighed making Allison snap out of it.

"How about a chance to get back to normal? She wouldn't be the town whack job if it wasn't for us." Allison defended finally breaking through to Scott a bit.

"I guess I could use my Co-captain status to get the lacrosse team here." That brought some people to mind.

"I also know some people that could get this thing going, like really going. I met them the other night and they really know how to party." I pulled out my phone and started back inside to make a few calls. I decided to send Maggie another text.

**Text to Maggie:**

_We're here. I'll save you a dance._

I waited a few minutes in case she texted back but she never did.

**[Scott's POV]**

Within 20 minutes of calling the lacrosse team, people started showing up. Lydia's mood lifted considerably but I still wasn't feeling it. I knew it had to be the full moon but I was still pissed that Allison and her family ruined our plan. It was a great plan. One of the better ones we've come up with and it went south because of them. I knew I shouldn't be mad at Allison but I couldn't help it. The full moon was hard enough to control, I didn't feel in the mood to deal with relationship drama. I was also still pretty sore from her mom trying to kill me but I guess since she didn't know there was no point in bringing it up now. Stiles had drifted over to the punch bowl and back, pacing around waiting for Maggie but she still hadn't shown up yet. I occasionally glanced over and got caught staring at Allison who was talking to Lydia.

"So are you going to apologize to Allison or what? I mean you could continue to creepily stare at her but she might leave." Stiles said leaning against the pillar I sat in front of.

"Why should I apologize?" I questioned confused.

"Um because you're the guy? It's like what we do." Stiles rolled his eyes.

"I didn't do anything wrong." I shook my head.

"Then you should definitely apologize. You see, any time a guy thinks he hasn't done something wrong, it means he's definitely done something wrong." I looked up at Stiles.

"And you know this from your 5 seconds of dating Maggie, who hasn't even shown up yet?" I snapped. Stiles puckered his lips out and nodded.

"That the full moon talking, buddy?" He asked making me feel bad.

"Probably...don't worry about Maggie. She wouldn't stand you up." I tried to reassure him but he shrugged.

"Maybe something happened with the betas. She could have gotten caught up taking care-" I cut Stiles off knowing where he was going.

"Derek would call me if he needed help with them. It's not safe for Maggie to be there when we don't know how she's going to handle it." Stiles held my gaze.

"She wouldn't pick Isaac over you, trust me." I said firmly. He took it at face value and took a sip of his punch.

"Why do you care about Allison and I anyway?" I asked seeing the surprise on his face.

"Because! Scott, something has to go right here. We're getting our asses kicked if you haven't noticed. People are dying, I got my dad fired, you're going to be held back in school, I'm apparently the last to know that Maggie and I belong together and she has apparently gotten cold feet which is funny because she's half werewolf. If on top of watching this crash and burn, I have to watch a stalker like Matt get Allison, I'm going to stab myself in the face." I felt him before I saw him as he walked into the party slowly.

"Don't stab yourself in the face." I said standing quickly.

"Why not?" Stiles asked staring at me.

"Because Jackson's here." Stiles head snapped in the direction I was looking at just in time for Jackson to stare at us. Lydia approached him slowly and handed him some punch. He kept his steely gaze on us as he sipped from the glass. The party was in full swing and the more people started to pile in and dance, the more I felt like I had to keep my eyes on Jackson. Stiles had slipped away to call Maggie when I started to feel a slight shift in my control. I shook my hand out and Lydia dropped a cup into it.

"I can't drink tonight." I said quickly.

"Alright what is with the two of you? I don't care if you two have to keep your love affair secret but right here, right now seems like the perfect time to just have a good time." Lydia's words made a lot of sense. I was able to control myself and there was no point and avoiding Allison if I was in control.

"You know something? You're right." I sipped the glass and Lydia smiled.

"Maggie's still coming right?" She asked curiously.

"Yeah she's on her way now. She should be here any minute." I said before taking a long swig of the punch. It was actually really good. Lydia tipped the glass and I downed the whole thing.

"Have fun Scott." She spun on her heel and left me standing there looking for Allison who disappeared during the short conversation Lydia and I had. A surge went through my entire body and I felt a bit loop at first. I knew there was no way I could get drunk but I figured I'd have two glass max on that punch just in case Jackson decided he wanted to do anything crazy.

**[Maggie's POV]**

I finally decided on an outfit after taking entirely too much time to get ready, getting at least 3 texts from Stiles and when he finally called, I was too nervous to answer. I took one last look in the mirror and smoothed on the black skirt I decided on, running my hand over the white shirt I'd picked and fluffing my hair out. My hands kept shaking and I tried to pretend they weren't. A date with Stiles is something I didn't think would ever happen but he just went for it. I knew if I started to over think it, I wouldn't go and it would hurt his feelings. I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down as I walked out to the car. I thought I caught a glimpse of a pair of red eyes in the trees making me halt. The eyes started to multiply and I knew there wouldn't be a group of alphas just hanging out in the woods. I closed my eyes tightly and opened them only to see that there was nothing there. I checked my phone and didn't see any messages from Derek.

There was no reason to worry. All I had to do was get to Lydia's and enjoy myself. I hadn't really felt any differently and was almost to Lydia's when I felt a surge of pain in my scar. I let out a gasp and hit my breaks before hitting the curb as visions of Peter popped into my head. I winced as I rubbed at the painful reminder and wasn't sure why it was suddenly burning. The only explanation was the full moon. I didn't realize I was parked in front of Lydia's house. It seemed like I had just gotten in the car but here I was. I got out and could hear the house booming with noise. I could hear people in the backyard and music shaking the walls. I didn't bother knocking as I walked into the front door to see just how packed the house was. I hadn't gotten too far into the door before someone bumped into me hard.

"S-sorry." It was Allison and she looked upset.

"Hey! Are you okay?" I asked knowing that it was a stupid question. She probably knew by now what Derek had done and hated me.

"I...I don't know. I just...I think..." She touched her head and held a hand to her stomach.

"Allison, what happened?" I touched her arm and she looked at me, concern written all over her face.

"I just had a vision or something. I'm not sure what it was but it was but it felt so real." She was clearly shaken but what is the likelihood that Allison actually had a vision?

"Do you want me to find Scott?" I asked but her eyes quickly shot to mine.

"No...no I'm fine. I can handle it. I just need some fresh air." Allison walked towards the front door and closed it softly behind her. Something wasn't right. I made my way through the house trying to find Scott and tell him how freaked out Allison had looked but someone grabbed my arm and pulled me into the kitchen.

"There you are! You're late!" Lydia smiled at me.

"Yeah sorry, I was trying to find something to wear." I said looking around Lydia to see if I could spot anyone.

"Well you look fabulous but seeing as how you were late, you have to take a birthday shot with me." She held out a shot glass with purple liquid in it. I glanced around at everyone else who had a pink.

"What's wrong with the drink?" I eyed it suspiciously and Lydia cocked her eyebrow.

"It's not poison, I'm just keeping the good liquor for myself but I'll share with you as a toast to our new friendship." She poured herself a shot and I kept my eyes on her. I smelled the liquid and couldn't pick up any scent other than alcohol and grapes.

"To my birthday and our new friendship." She held up her glass and I clinked it against hers.

"Happy birthday Lydia." I said before downing the liquid. It burned the whole way down and made me feel warm instantly. I could feel Lydia's eyes on me as she handed me a regular glass of punch.

"Have fun, mingle." She started back through the crowd and I tried to shake off how strange the encounter was as I looked for Scott. When I finally spotted him he waved his hand at me.

"Hey it's about time you got here." He said looking me up and down smiling.

"You look really nice. Stiles is going to freak out when he sees you." I blushed and forgot for a moment about what happened with Allison.

"Something is going on okay? I don't know what it is but Allison was pretty freaked out." Scott got serious instantly.

"Where is she? Is she okay?" He looked over my shoulder and I put my hand on his arm.

"She walked out front to get some air but you should check on her. I'm going to look for Stiles-" Scott shook his head.

"Stiles will be fine, you need to keep an eye on Jackson so he doesn't do anything bad. I'm going to find Allison." Scott almost ordered.

"If you see Stiles-" He cut me off again.

"I'll tell him to come find you. Just stay put." Scott pushed through the crowd and I kept my eyes on Jackson who didn't seem to be doing anything but sipping his punch. I hoped Stiles would find me so I could apologize for being late but a voice broke through my thoughts.

"This is what we died for? We sacrificed ourselves, gave you our magic, all so you could take orders from some omega werewolf." I looked to the left and dropped the glass to the ground. Caroline was standing there, arms crossed over her chest and anger painted across her face. I couldn't find my voice. I was too in shock.

"Y-you-you're d-"

"Dead? Yeah it would appear that loving you is literally fatal. I was so young, I could have done anything. I had to get brutally murdered all so you could come to some stupid birthday party? I LOVED PARTIES!" Evie stood across the pool, arms thrown to her sides as she yelled. I backed into the pillar and held onto it.

"This isn't real. This can't be real." I closed my eyes tightly trying to shake the images but when I opened them blood was splattered over the walls, fence line and the pool was filled with body parts.

"Oh!" I covered my mouth and felt my lungs struggling to get enough air.

"This is your reality Maggie. Innocent lives, people you love, children...they die because of you." Karen was holding a bloody baby blanket and I felt the hot tears streaming down my face. Classmates were strung out through the yard. The pool was a deep crimson as it started to boil as if the water were being boiled.

"Don't worry sweetheart, daddy will protect you." Peter next to the pool holding my mom's head in his arms.

"What have you done?" Her dismembered head whispered as I fell to the ground right next to the pool. The plastic cover had gone over it, sealing the boiling blood underneath when a hand shot up, trapped beneath it. I jumped back until I heard Peter laugh.

"Aren't you going to save your friends?" He questioned making me look into the pool. Stiles was trying to claw his way out of the pool but was being boiled alive.

"STOP! STOP IT! PLEASE HELP HIM!" I screamed and cried as I clawed at the cover. Scott popped up next and then Allison, Lydia and Danny. I cried staring into their terrified eyes as they struggled beneath the plastic. I finally snapped out of it when I felt arms around me pulling me back.

"Maggie! HEY! MAGGIE!" It was Danny. He had pulled me into his lap and everyone was staring at me.

"You're okay. It's okay." He rocked me back and forth for a moment but I saw blood on my hands. I scrambled backwards out of his lap and skidded over the cement trying to run and find a bathroom to clean the blood off my hands. I locked the door and heard Danny yelling behind me but I tried to tune him out. No matter how much soap I used, no matter how hot the water was...I couldn't get my hands clean. I glanced up in the mirror and saw Peter's face smiling.

"There there sweetheart, I always knew you were a daddy's girl." He laughed in the reflection and I punched the mirror as hard as I could but it merely shattered. I kept scrubbing away at my hands trying to catch my breath but it almost seemed impossible.

**[Stiles POV]**

"I don't know where you are but could you at least give me a call and let me know you're alright. I'm really worried here Mags." I left another voice mail before bumping into Scott.

"Hey, I still can't reach her." I said but Scott shook his head.

"She's here. I just saw her but I need to find Allison. She should be out by the pool." Scott gestured outside and I patted him on the shoulder before rushing out there. It seemed like people were getting more and more crazy as the night ran on. Making out, screaming laughing at things, I even saw a kid making out with a tree but I stopped in my tracks when I saw a couple sitting in a patio chair going at it so hard that she was actually straddling the guy.

"Whoa, keep it PG people." I said but stopped instantly when the brunette whipped her head back. IT was Maggie and she was straddling Isaac.

"Maggie? What the hell are you doing?" I asked feeling the heat rise in my face from anger. I balled my fists up as she swung her leg back over and adjusted her shirt.

"I was trying to make out with Isaac but you've kind of killed the mode." She adjusted her bra and Isaac wiped his lip staring at me.

"You look surprised." Isaac said as I clenched my jaw.

"Why would he be surprised? Peter told him this would happen. I spent years wasting my time thinking that you were the one person I needed above everyone else." I never told Maggie that Peter had said that. Scott must have blabbed to her.

"You were right before. You are worthless and weak. You will always be a fragile human and I don't need the burden of your life over my head. I'm not going to let you take me down like you did with your mother." As the words came out of her mouth, I held her gaze. Her eyes were cold and distant. It's like her tongue was a blade and it took it's swipes fast and deep into my gut. I felt a lump growing in my throat and I felt the distinct prick of tears welling but I refused to get upset in front of them.

"Ugh I can't even stand to look at you. You're pathetic." Maggie spat turning away from me and Isaac laughed smugly.

"Wow…that was harsh. Tough break." He gripped the back of Maggie's hair and brought his mouth back down on hers. I closed my eyes tightly before turning to walk away but before I even got back to the house I caught sight of my dad.

"I JUST CAME FROM A FUNERAL! PEOPLE WEAR BLACK AT FUNERALS!" He was yelling at some kid holding a handle of his favorite liquor. He shoved the kid and turned towards me. I felt everything around me go quiet as he looked me over.

"It's you...it's all you. You know every day I saw her lying in the hospital slowly dying, I thought how the hell am I supposed to raise this stupid kid on my own. This hyperactive little bastard who keeps ruining my life." He growled. I felt the hole growing in my chest and I wished the world would open up and swallow me. I glanced around at the other kids and they were all staring at me as my dad gave me the worst verbal beating I'd ever received.

"It's all you...Stiles." He said made name like it was laced with poison that had been slowly killing him for years. He held the bottle up at me, pointing.

"You killed your mother, you hear me?" My entire world shattered in those 4 words. It was a fear that I'd never said out loud and now my father had thrown it right in my face.

"You killed her and now you're killing me." Dad froze for a moment before rearing back and throwing the bottle towards me. Out of instinct I covered my face bracing myself for the heavy bottle to shatter against my body but when my back hit the pillar I opened my eyes to see he wasn't standing there. People weren't staring at me and there was no shattered glass on the ground. Tears had streaked my face and I had quickly wiped them away before anyone could see me. I grabbed another punch and slid down the wall finding a comfortable spot to sit and drink all the shitty things that just happened out of my mind. Scott eventually found me and kept badgering me about where Lydia was but I didn't bother answering.

"STILES! I need you to sober up alright! Drink this, please. Something is happening." Scott held out a bottle of water but I turned my nose up to it. I just wanted to be left alone. I didn't care if the world was on fire, I just wanted to sit here and sulk. I tuned out Scott and the girl he was talking to until she grabbed me by my shirt and dunked me into the pool water.

"How do you feel?" She asked as I spit water out of my nose and mouth tasting the chlorine as it burned through my sinuses.

"Like I might need to revisit my policy on hitting a girl." I sputtered.

"He's sober." She patted my shoulder and left Scott and I alone.

"Look the punch was spiked. Whatever Lydia put in it has made everyone start seeing things. I just thought I saw Allison making out with the kanima." Scott explained.

"You mean Jackson?" I corrected.

"No I mean the psychopathic lizard version of Jackson." I cringed at the visual. It clicked in my head pretty quickly that seeing my dad wasn't real. He disappeared into thin air but Maggie and Isaac hadn't.

"Allison took off and won't answer her phone but Maggie said she was freaking out earlier. We need to find Maggie and Lydia before something bad happens." Scott explained.

"Have you tried calling Isaac? He was pretty attached to her face when I saw her earlier." I fixed my wet shirt and Scott shook his head.

"That's not possible." He dismissed.

"Look, I clearly saw them making out so yes it's very possible." I argued.

"Derek wouldn't let them out tonight. He locked them up and Maggie arrived alone looking for you. I'm telling you it's impossible that you saw them making out because Isaac was never here." Scott explained making me eye him strangely.

"Are you serious?" I asked making him roll his eyes as he helped me to my feet.

"I've got to find Maggie." If I saw my dad freaking out on me and Maggie making out with Isaac, I can only imagine what Maggie saw. Scott and I both jumped when we heard a scream from inside.

"Maggie." Scott said knowingly before we raced back inside. I suddenly felt panic set in.


	10. Art Of Control

**[Scott's POV]**

Stiles and I took off into Lydia's house and saw Danny standing at the bathroom.

"Come on Maggie, open up!" Danny shouted.

"What's going on?" Stiles asked out of breath.

"I don't know. She started freaking out like she was going to climb over me to get away from whatever it is she was looking at and then she bolted for the bathroom." Danny explained. I could hear her heartbeat going a mile a minute through the door.

"I think we can take it from here. How about you find Lydia and ask her for a key so we don't have to break the door down." I asked and Danny nodded before running off in search of Maggie.

"Maggie it's going to be okay. Just open the door." Stiles kept his head to the door and Maggie was crying.

"Go away! Please just go away." She pleaded and I could almost smell her fear radiating off of her.

"Whatever you saw, it wasn't real. Something's going on, everyone is seeing things so whatever or whoever you saw, I swear to God it wasn't real." I tried to convince her through the door but she started groaning.

"What the hell is going on? What's happening?" Stiles asked hearing her hit the floor of the bathroom.

"Scott...it's happening. I don't know how to stop it." Maggie was changing in a full house party at Lydia's and I had no freaking clue what to do.

"She's changing. MAGGIE! Open the door!" I yelled trying not to make other people come and see what was going on.

"Where the hell is Danny with the key?!" Stiles grew impatient before running off and screaming out for Lydia.

"I don't want to be a monster." Maggie whispered but I heard it.

"Maggie, you listen to me okay? You're not a monster. You could never be a monster. What you're feeling right now, that's the moon trying to let the wolf out but you've got to concentrate. Focus on the pain in your stomach." I tried to talk her through it but I could hear her crying.

"It seemed so real...he seemed so real." I laid my hand against the door and rested my ear against it knowing I could hear her anyway but wanted to be closer to her and help her through it.

"Whoever you saw I promise you it wasn't real Maggie." I could hear her struggling to breathe and cry at the same time and I hated that I couldn't just bust the door down and hold her.

"It was Peter. He was...it was my fault. He said it was all my fault and I couldn't save you...any of you." She cried and started to gasp for air like she was having a panic attack.

"Peter is dead! He's never coming back Maggie. He can't hurt you anymore. Please open the door." I hit the door with my palm.

"My eyes! I can't control it Scott. You have to stay away from me. Keep Stiles away from me! I don't want him to see me like this. I don't want to hurt him." Maggie was freaking out just as Stiles ran back.

"Lydia is missing and Danny said Allison took off too. I don't know what the hell is going on but everyone is acting crazy." Stiles breathed just before it sounded like glass breaking in the bathroom.

"MAGGIE!" Stiles yelled and I decided getting to Maggie was more important than a stupid door. I thrusted my shoulder into the door and it busted in hitting the wall. Stiles ran in behind me only to see that the window was open and there was no sign of Maggie. He stuck his head out the window and called her name but I was stuck on the fist print in the middle of the mirror that Maggie had splintered.

"What the hell is happening to her man?" Stiles asked now looking at the mirror and seeing traces of blood in the glass.

"She doesn't want to become the monster that made her." I said honestly knowing that if Maggie saw Peter in the daze we were all suffering from, that she was probably on the verge of a breakdown.

"You mean Peter? Why would she think-" I looked over at Stiles sternly.

"That is who she saw. Her worst nightmare isn't just Peter...it's becoming Peter." I explained as we ran back out to the party. Everyone seemed to be losing it, not just us.

"Anyone who drank that crap is freaking out." Stiles said as people started jumping into the pool.

"Yeah I can see that Stiles." I looked over and noticed a kid making out with a shrub and Stiles jumped away from him like he might catch whatever was wrong with him.

"What the hell do we do?" Stiles asked.

"I have no idea but-" I was distracted by someone screaming that they couldn't swim as two guys carried them towards the pool.

"NO NO NO I CAN'T SWIM! I CAN'T SWIM!" It was Matt. He was launched into the water and immediately started struggling.

"He can't swim..." I said out loud to myself connecting the dots. Jackson was captain of the swim team but the person controlling the Kanima hated the water. Suddenly Matt was being pulled out of the water by Jackson. himself. Matt got to his feet quickly as the party went completely silent. He cut his eyes at everyone standing around gawking.

"What are you looking at?!" He spat soaked to the bone. He took a few steps forward and looked directly at Stiles and I. His face changed instantly to a glare. He knew that we knew. He had to and yet he walked right between us like he couldn't careless. Sirens started whirling in the distance and people started to bumrush the exits.

"Scott...we've gotta find Maggie." Stiles hit my arm and we both ran out front. Stiles ran towards the jeep but I stopped trying to pick Matt's scent out from all the other people still running around.

"Scott...come on!" Stiles rushed me but that's when I saw him. He was standing in the middle of the street, people running in every direction and the Kanima was wrapped around his leg, protecting him as he fumed. I knew my eyes were wide in disbelief but there he was for anyone to see. Stiles ran over and gripped my shoulder.

"Dude we gotta go!" I barely blinked at Stiles and Matt had disappeared right before my eyes.

"Matt knows we know. We can't go looking for Maggie. We have to tell your dad." Stiles shook his head.

"Scott, she's out there, alone, poisoned and freaking out. We can't just leave her." Stiles threw his arms out.

"If she's turning, we can't be around her anyway. Deaton's only vaguely told me just how powerful she is. She could hurt us and that would kill her. We have to tell your dad so he can arrest Matt before he kills anyone else." I explained seeing how Stiles was struggling with the idea.

"I don't like it...but you're right. But we need to keep trying to call her cell." Stiles said rushing off towards the jeep. I pulled out my phone and started trying to call Maggie repeatedly.

**[Maggie's POV]**

I ran as hard as I could. The pains in my chest were almost crippling as I continued to push my legs away from people I could potentially hurt. It's like someone jump started my heart and set it on fire simultaneously. I could hear my phone going off in my pocket but I didn't bother answering it. I knew it was the boys but I couldn't have them seeing me right now, not like this.

I caught sight of the animal clinic and I fell into the dumpster breathing heavily.

"Maggie?" Deaton was standing at the backdoor curiously.

"I...I can't...I can't." I was beyond freaking out and he helped me inside.

"Maggie you have to calm yourself." Deaton said as I fell into the metal table.

"I can't. Something's wrong. It's gotta be the moon." I tried to steady my breathing but I kept getting that the ache in my throat from hyperventilating. Deaton gripped my shoulders and looked at my eyes before putting his fingers on the pulse point in my neck.

"You've been poisoned." He rushed over to the rack of things he had sitting off to the side and started making some sort of concoction.

"You need to breathe Maggie. Someone is forcing the change out of you and you aren't supposed to be having one. You need to stay focused on what keeps you human, find your anchor." Deaton said not facing me.

"I don't know how! I don't know what I'm doing!" I felt my throat starting to close and I gripped the metal table with my hands seeing my claws coming out.

"You've always had the blood in you but before you were a wolf, before you were a witch, you were just a child. Think of the things that made you human...the people." I closed my eyes and thought of Scott and Stiles as kids. Playing together and confiding in one another. My vision started to narrow and I couldn't help but think of Stiles. Kissing him and lying next to him on his bed listening to music and doing homework. I hadn't seen Deaton approach me but he stuck a needle into my neck, injecting me with something that burned through my veins almost instantly. I fell to my knees and felt the clenching in my throat start to ease.

"That's it. Keep breathing." Deaton's voice broke through the visions and I leaned against the wall. He handed me a glass of water and I held out my shaky hands to take it.

"How...how'd you stop the change? I didn't think that was possible?" I asked curiously as I sipped the water.

"I didn't stop the change. What you are isn't as simple as a werewolf. You don't follow the regular norms of the change on a full moon. You will have different reactions to different phases of the moon. But if someone poisoned you then we need to find Derek before someone makes a terrible mistake." Deaton explained as I shook my head.

"Great. Just great. How did my family think I was a good idea? How am I possibly supposed to live a semi normal life if I always have to worry about the changes of the freaking moon?" I complained wiping the tears off my face from the panic I was in just moments ago.

"You have to learn to control it. You can do this and live normally but you've neglected what you are for so long-" I cut Deaton off.

"That's bullshit. All of it. Live normally? I'm a freak of nature to the tenth degree! My entire family was picked off so I could be this great, big, supernatural thing that operates like a goddamn punch clock and I'm expected to somehow tame it? I'm 16 years old! I didn't want any of this! If they knew this was what I was supposed to be then they should have let the Argent's kill me!" I raised my voice and Deaton let out a sigh.

"There is no changing what you are. What's done is done but if you honestly can't handle the responsibility of what comes with it, all you have to do is leave Beacon Hills." Deaton caught my attention.

"What?" I questioned.

"I can teach you how to control you shifts with each moon. Put a leash on both sides of what you are but you can't be here. Why do you think your family was so spread out? Beacon Hills is a hub for the supernatural. You're destined to protect it but with such gifts comes great responsibility. If you don't want to protect the people of Beacon Hills then all you have to do is leave." I felt relief for a moment but I knew what Deaton was doing. If I left Beacon Hills, I'd be leaving everyone I cared about. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly trying not to get upset again.

"There's a very powerful pack coming to Beacon Hills. They're coming here for a very specific reason and they will tear apart this town to get what they want. I haven't told Scott or Derek yet because you'll play a pivotal role in saving all the people you love." I looked over at Deaton feeling instantly unprepared.

"How am I supposed to do that when I can barely control myself now?" I asked desperately.

"Training without distractions. Not just your wolf or your magic but you as a whole. You're the Nyvlora, Maggie. If you keep letting people distract you then you're useless in their survival." I let out a sigh knowing he was right. I couldn't actually learn to control what I am if I had Stiles and Scott with me. I would be too worried about them.

"So what you're saying is I have to let them all go in order to save them? Walk away again?" I said it out loud and it was equally painful.

"You are a strong, courageous, intelligent young woman. You know that you won't be able to do what you have to do, learn what you have to learn quickly enough to keep them all safe if you aren't focused." Deaton looked sympathetic as he put his hand on my shoulder.

"I've spent many years protecting the Stevens as well as the Hales. It is your time but only you can step up to the challenge." He said making me let out a heavy breath. There was no real choice. I couldn't let the people I cared about get hurt anymore. I couldn't know about this impending threat and just abandon them.

"I need time." I said biting my bottom lip.

"I agree. I think it's only appropriate we take care of the Jackson problem before we can focus on you. You'll still see them Maggie." Deaton tried to reassure me but I knew what it felt like to be a ghost. Moving around all the time and not making real connections with anyone.

"I've done this once before. I know how to disappear but that doesn't mean I have to be happy about it." I looked over at him and he frowned. My phone went off in my pocket and I pulled it out to look at it.

"Scott I'm fine-" Scott cut me off.

"Thank God! We've been trying to call you for almost an hour! Where are you?" Scott was freaking out.

"I'm with Deaton at the clinic." I said glancing over at him.

"Matt is controlling the kanima! We are about to talk to Stiles dad and see if he can get a warrant for him." Scott explained.

"Creepy Matt? How did you put that together?" I asked confused.

"It's a long story and I'll explain it later but right now I need you to try and find Lydia. She poisoned everyone at the party and then went missing." I looked over at Deaton and he looked as though he knew what was going on.

"Scott...what the hell is going on?" I asked feeling like I couldn't keep up with everything that was happening.

"I honestly have no idea. Please just look for Lydia and meet us at the Stiles house." Scott pleaded.

"Fine, I'll give Allison a call and see when the last time she saw her was. Be careful." I said firmly hoping Scott knew how serious I was.

"Mags...are you okay?" He asked randomly and I glanced over at Deaton as he put some things in a bag.

"Yeah Scotty, I'm fine. I'll see you soon." I hung up the phone and 4 missed calls from Derek popped up on my phone.

"Crap. I need to get to Derek." I said in a hurry but Deaton stopped me.

"You need to find Lydia. I'll go and help Derek." I cocked my eyebrow at him.

"Help...help Derek? Since when do you care about Derek?" I asked thrown but Deaton's offer.

"Before he was born. I told you, I've been watching over the Hale's for a long time. Plus I have a feeling that he won't be where you suspect anyway." Deaton put his bag over his shoulder and I stopped him.

"T-thank you..." I said making him smile and nod.

"We will talk soon. Find Lydia and stay safe." Deaton and I both exited the clinic and I started my search for Lydia.

**[Derek's POV]**

The moment the moon was full. It was like a tickle in the back of your throat, a familiar ache from an old injury. That's the only way I could describe knowing that my wolf wanted out. Erica and Boyd were thrashing against their chains, already turned and wanting to escape. They were getting restless and I decided I might need a hand. I gave Scott a call first and he didn't pick up. I tried him a few more times before I finally decided to call Maggie but she wasn't picking up either. Something felt off. She would have picked up her phone if I called. I practically had to force her to leave. I heard the sound of the chains snapping and ran back into the railcar with my claws out to see Erica had gotten lose. She clawed at me and managed to get me in the side before I twisted her arm up and kicked her feet out from under her. I wrapped the chains attached to her arm back up around the bar and Boyd had snapped both of his and tried to tackle me to the ground.

"Dammit!" I winced as my back hit the metal of the railcar wall hard. Boyd thought he could choke me out but I headbutt him knocking him to the ground. Erica had gotten back to her feet and clawed my back. I elbowed her quickly and noticed Boyd had given up the fight with me to try and flee. Before he could reach the door, Isaac grabbed a hold of him and slammed him down in the seat. Erica scrambled once more and I knocked her out before chaining her back up and looking at Isaac. He gave me a nod as I walked toward him and did the same to Boyd. I was shocked. He had somehow managed to find his anchor in such a short period of time. I took the time to drag Boyd back towards Erica's unconscious body to lock him up like I'd done earlier before I turned to see Isaac sitting in the seat he had broken free from and holding his wrists out waiting to be locked up.

"I think you'll be okay now. Looks like you've found an anchor." I said not bothering to lock him up.

"And if you tell me it's Maggie-" Isaac cut me off.

"My father." He breathed still wolfed out and calmer than anyone I'd ever seen on their first full moon.

"Your father locked you in a freezer in the basement to punish you." I pointed out confused.

"He didn't used to." Isaac kept completely still as I continued to stare at him.

"I thought about Maggie and remembered that she was the first person I opened up to about how my dad used to be. Before my mom died, before my brother...he just wasn't always like that." Isaac admitted. I put my hand on his shoulder and stood up. I took a second to really look at Isaac, Boyd and Erica. I had picked them mostly because I knew that Maggie was friends with them and they seemed to have things in their lives that they wanted to change. Taking a step back, Maggie wasn't just friends with these kids. She genuinely cared about them and helped them open up to her. Boyd had said he had one true friend, Erica said no one had ever stuck up for her before and Isaac...Isaac managed to remind himself that his father wasn't always the brutal monster who would abuse and torture him because of spending time with Maggie.

"Just try and relax." I said patting him on the shoulder before walking out of the railcar, exhausted. I reached in my pocket and pulled out my phone to call Maggie.

"Hey you've reached Maggie's cell, leave a message and I'll probably call you back." The beep sounded and I let out a sigh.

"Hey it's me, sorry about the calls earlier. Everything is under control now so don't worry. Have fun tonight...be careful." I looked down at the phone before ending the call and pocketing it. I rubbed at my eyes trying to relieve the tension but I was caught off guard by a scent.

When I turned around, Lydia Martin was slowly approaching me. Eyes wide yet calm like she was being drawn to me by some strange force of will. I didn't know what to say. The next thing I know, she's blowing crushed wolfsbane into my face and all I see is darkness.

As if my life had taken some sort of time warp, I woke up being dragged. At first it was into a car, then into sticks and rocks. I could smell the trees and the scents that linger in the air from the wind blowing. I was thrown by how easily Lydia could drag me. It didn't make sense. She dragged me up splintered steps and the smell of charred wood made me open my eyes. I was home again and I knew exactly what Lydia was doing.

"L-Lydia." I breathed trying to get her to snap out of it. She was clearly in some sort of trans.

Lydia stop." I kept trying to shake the fog off but whatever wolfsbane she used to knock me out was potent. She finally stopped dragging me and I noticed the floor where I'd buried Peter's body was now unboarded. I should have known he would do this. He impaled Maggie for crying out loud. Now he was using Lydia to resurrect himself on the last full moon of the season. I'd read the stories but if it was true then Peter would know for sure.

"You don't know what you're doing." I felt her place my arm into the hole and a limp grip on my forearm. There was a few moments of stillness and I was relieved. Maybe the myth was wrong. Maybe Peter was really gone and everything would be okay.

Claws gripped my arm and I felt my eyes shoot open in pain as something started to pull at the wolf inside of me. I gritted my teeth trying not to let out a growl of pain but suddenly it stopped. I let out a heavy breath and could hear Lydia's heart beat along with mine. She held back a scream as the floorboards splintered upwards and out emerge Peter covered in rubble and soot. I tried worming my way across the floor away from him as Lydia started to hyperventilate next to me. I could finally feel the wolfsbane wearing off and I moved far enough away to look up at him as he stood slowly to his feet.

"I heard there was a party...don't worry, I invited myself." He grinned wickedly.

"You looked surprised to see me, Derek. Did you honestly think I'd leave my daughter to be an orphan?" Peter tilted his head to the side and I glared up at him.

"Stay away from her." I gritted out but he chuckled walking towards Lydia and taking a towel from her.

"Sorry I can't stay and chat. I've got to get myself cleaned up." Peter smiled smugly at me and I didn't notice Lydia at my side until she stuck me with a needle. Peter waved at me as I spiraled into darkness for the second time.

**[Stiles POV]**

Scott ran out of my room after finally getting a hold of Maggie while I sat my dad down and started opening up the yearbooks search for Matt's picture.

"What's going on Stiles? Aren't you supposed to be on your date with Maggie?" Dad questioned reminding me of what tonight was supposed to be.

"It didn't quite pan out like I would have liked but we figured out who the killer is." I finally found it when Scott walked back in giving me a nod which I assumed was that Maggie was alright.

"So this kid is the real killer?" Dad asked as I circled it with red marker.

"Yeah." Scott and I said at the same time as Dad focused on the picture.

"No." He shook his head.

"Yes." I looked at the picture of Matt and back at him as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"No." He clearly wasn't trying to believe me.

"Dad, yes! Okay everybody knows police look for ways to connect victims in a murder. So all we have to do is look through the transcripts and figure out which class they all had in common." I explained seeing that he still wasn't buying it.

"Yeah except for the rave promoter wasn't in Harris' class." I wanted to shake him.

"Oh so I guess they're dropping the charges against him?" I put my hand up and Dad pointed me.

"Don't start okay." He warned making me rake my hands over my head.

"Scott, do you believe this?" Dad looked past me and I threw my hands up.

"Really? Okay." I stepped aside and let Scott talk.

"We can't really explain how we know but you've just got to trust us. We know it's Matt." Scott backed me up.

"He took Harris' car knowing that if a cop found tire tracks at one of the murders and enough of the victims were in his class that they'd arrest him." Dad looked like he might be opening up to it and he shook his head.

"Fine but I need a motive. What possible motive could this kid have to want most of the 2006 swim team and it's coach dead?" Dad pressed.

"Isn't it obvious?! Our swim team sucks!" Scott and Dad both let out a sigh of annoyance.

"They haven't won in like 6 years...okay we don't have a motive yet but does Harris?" I questioned. I held my breath as Dad looked at Scott and me. He had to believe us. Lives were at stake here.

"Okay, what do you need me to do?" I had a 2.3 second victory dance to myself after convincing my dad that Matt was the killer before Scott spoke up.

"We need to look at the evidence." Scott said making Dad roll his eyes.

"That's at the station, where I no longer work." He cut his eyes at me.

"Trust me, they'll let you in." I said knowing full well he already knew that.

"Trust you?" Dad pointed at me and I pointed over my shoulder.

"Trust...Scott?" I switched it up and hoped Scott was smiling like an idiot over my shoulder. Dad shook his finger at me.

"Scott I trust. I'll drive." Dad walked out of the room and I high fived Scott.

"How did Maggie sound?" I asked immediately

"She said she's fine and that she'd look for Lydia." Scott followed my dad out and I hurried behind him.

"But did she sound alright? I mean...you know." I waved my hands around and Scott nodded.

"She sounded like she was confused but other than that she seemed fine." Scott put his hand on my shoulder trying to reassure me. I needed to make sure she was alright though. After what I saw and what Scott told me she said in the bathroom, I just needed to get eyes on her.

We walked into the station and dad stepped up to explain that he needed a favor. I had no doubts we'd be in looking at the evidence in no time but just in case our time was limited we needed a plan of action.

"We look at the hospital stuff first. Jackson killed everyone except one." I whispered to Scott.

"The pregnant girl, Jessica." Scott said.

"Exactly. Since Matt had to kill her himself, someone from the hospital could have seen him." I explained.

"You're actually really good at this whole detective stuff, have I ever told you that?" Scott said surprising me.

"As much as I love you appreciating me right now, let's save our bro moment for after we get this psycho locked up." I said as my dad gestured for us to follow him. We got to work instantly reviewing hospital security footage basically hovering over my dad's back.

"There was a 6 car pile up that night guys. The hospital was madness." Dad said as people walked through the frame constantly.

"Just keep looking. He had to pass one of those cameras on the floor to get to Jessica. He's got to be on the footage somewhere." I pointed out.

"Wait! Go back!" Scott caught us both off guard but as dad backed the footage up, I saw the same guy he saw.

"That's him. That's Matt. I'd know that weird cranium anywhere. I sit behind him in history. It's almost distracting how awkward his head is." I said making my dad turn in his chair to look at me.

"Are you crazy?" He asked only half rhetorical I hoped.

"Fine then look at his jacket. How many people do you know with leather jackets?" I realized I was reaching but it already left my mouth.

"Millions...literally." Dad argued but Scott stepped in.

"Can you scroll forward? There's got to be a shot of him coming at one of the cameras." Scott said as dad started to jump the footage ahead. Matt popped back into frame and I hit dad's chair.

"Right there, he's there again." I pointed.

"I refuse to send out a warrant based on the back of someone's head." Dad said firmly.

"Wait he's talking to someone!" Someone walked into the frame and started talking to Matt.

"He's talking to my mom." Scott pulled out his phone and quickly called his mom. I was hoping like crazy she could make the positive ID. I needed a simple win. After all the stupid stuff we'd been through and costing my dad his job, this had to work out in our favor.

"Honey, you know how many people I see daily?" Melissa came through the speaker.

"He's a teenager, dark hair, normal looking-" I cut Scott off.

"No he looks creepy and evil!" I interjected getting a side glance from my dad.

"I'm sending you a picture." Scott picked up his phone and snapped a picture of Matt's yearbook photo. It only took her a few minutes to get and look over it.

"I remember him. He was tracking mud through the halls. What's going on?" Dad looked over at Scott and me.

"Everything's fine, I'll call you back." Scott hung up. Dad opened up another folder of evidence.

"We got shoe prints along the trailer sight out in the woods." Dad fanned through some papers.

"And if they match then we've got Matt's footprints at the scene of three murders. The trailer, the hospital and the rave." I pointed out seeing Scott's eyes go wide.

"Actually four, a credit care receipt for an oil change was signed by Matt at the garage where the mechanic was killed just a few hours before you got there." Dad stood up and I knew we'd finally have enough to tie him to the murders without having to go into supernatural territory.

"Dad, if one's an incident, twos a coincidence and three's a pattern, what's four?" I asked seeing a proud confidence wash over him.

"Four's enough for a warrant." I punched the air in victory.

"Scott, call your mom back and get her down here. Stiles, you call Maggie and get her down here too. I don't want her alone if this kid is still on the streets. Tell them to let Melissa and Maggie in while you're out there." I ran out into the hallway and called Maggie's phone. It took a few rings but she finally answered letting out a heavy sigh.

"Hey so I can't get a hold of Allison and Lydia's mom said Lydia is home and grounded for having the cops called to the house because of her wild party. I can't actually confirm if Lydia is home via sight but I can hear her heartbeat." Maggie sounded exhausted.

"Maggie?" I said her name and she stopped talking for a minute.

"Stiles? Wow sorry, I didn't even read the caller ID. I thought you were Scott." She admitted.

"Nope...just me." I leaned against the wall and there was another pause.

"I know what you're thinking and I'm fine." She breathed.

"How could you possibly know what I'm thinking through the phone?" I questioned.

"Because I know you. I swear, I had a meltdown but no casualties." I could hear the sound of a car door shutting.

"Scott said everyone was poisoned, are you okay?" She asked snapping me out of a trance.

"Yeah...yeah I'm fine." I shook my head and realized how quiet it was in the station.

"Tell me about it later?" Maggie asked and I bit my lip. It was weird that she didn't have to see me to know I wasn't completely telling the truth.

"Yeah we can do that. Dad wants you to head here though. We've got enough on Matt to get a warrant and I think we'd both feel better if you were here instead of on the streets." I admitted.

"I have to stop by and check on Derek first but I will come straight there after, okay?" Maggie said and I could hear the sound of her car starting.

"Just...be careful okay?" I knew I'd be anxious until she got here but I wasn't going to tell her she didn't need to go check on Derek considering he was an alpha and all that jazz.

"Promise. See you soon." That was the last thing she said before hanging up. I pocketed my phone before remembering I needed to make sure they let Maggie and Melissa in but when I walked out I didn't see anyone.

"Hello?" I called out putting my hands on the counter and that's when I caught sight of Pamela, covered in blood with her eyes still open and lifeless. I felt my heartbeat pick up and started to back away from the counter but when I turned around I was staring down the barrel of a gun held by Matt himself. I instantly regretted making that phone call.

**[Derek's POV]**

Everything was bright. All I could hear was my own breathing and a steady heartbeat. I could feel the sweat rolling off my skin as I felt like my eyes were trying to focus on the brightness of my surroundings.

_"One day you'll meet her and you will know that you'll need to take extra care in protecting her."_

_"How will I know who she is if I've never met her?"_

_"Because you will know. She's family and she will love you like we all love one another."_

I could hear my mother's voice in my head but I still couldn't see anything. I remember the memory though. I remember the baby in the picture my mom showed me. I don't know why I didn't make the connection before now but the baby had to be Maggie.

_"Why do I need to protect her if she's the strongest?_

_"Because that's what you do. You protect her heart from getting broken and you show her what it means to truly be a Hale."_

_"She's going to need you, Derek. I'm trusting you'll protect her just like you would the others.. Take care of my baby."_

Another voice spoke up and I realized then that it had to be Maggie's mother. I felt like these memories were buried so deep in my subconscious that without being trapped in this poisoned state, I'd never have remembered knowing about Maggie and having spoken with her mother when I was younger.

" _DEREK! Deerrrrrreeeek!"_ I snapped my head to the new voice. I didn't know who this was but it was a male.

 _"Can you hear me? I need you to answer me Derek."_ I could hear a distant noise winding up kind of like a generator.

 _"DEREK! We don't have much time._ " The voice got closer but was cut off by a piercing noise that made me cover my ears to try and avoid it. My eyes snapped open and I was suddenly back in the burnt out shell of my family home staring at Dr. Deaton.

"That sound...what was it?!" I sat up quickly and he smiled as he held up a dog whistle. I give him a huff at his cheeky methods but didn't bother with him as I got to my feet only to find out I was clearly weakened for some reason.

 **"** Derek, you've got to take it easy." He helped steady me out and I shook my head trying to clear it.

"What are you doing here? What am _I_ doing here?" I questioned suspiciously.

"Think Derek…you know what happened." I looked down at my arm and saw the dried blood from puncture marks. What I thought was a nightmare was actually reality.

"That really happened? Peter's back?" I asked hoping he would say no.

"Yes and we don't have much time." I felt my heart rate increase and wanted to punch holes in the flimsy walls.

"Time…time for what?" I questioned.

"Peter's been resurrected. You know who his first target will be." Deaton's words made Maggie come to mind and the voices I heard in my head from the old memories sent me into a panic.

"I've got to find Maggie!" I tried to walk past him but felt a sudden wave of fatigue. Deaton gripped my arm to steady me.

"You're going to be weak for several hours." He explained and I shook my head knowing that my alpha strength should be taking care of it.

"Don't worry you're still an alpha just not a very competent one." Deaton put his whistle around his neck and I felt my rage rising.

"Where is he?" I gritted out.

"I wish I could tell you but I don't know and even if I did, you aren't ready to take him on. Maggie will be fine with Scott." I took a step towards Deaton.

"Then how about you tell me what you're doing here? Or why you suddenly want to help me?" I questioned.

"Helping your family actually used to be a pretty big part of my life. Helping you and Maggie was a promise I made to both your mother's." I took a step back not expecting that. Laura had mentioned a true ally in Beacon Hills but I never thought it would be Deaton.

"Laura mentioned you. Said you were some sort of adviser." I said seeing him tilt his head.

"She was right and right now I have some advice that you need to listen to very closely. What Peter managed to do, doesn't come without a price. He'll be physically weak so he'll rely on the strength of his intelligence. He's going to come at you Derek, he'll try and twist his way inside your head preying on your insecurities and trying to convince you that he is the only way you can stop Gerard. Do not trust him." He said firmly.

"I don't trust anyone." I replied honestly.

"I know and if you did you might be the alpha you think you are but if you truly want to keep Maggie safe then you will heed this warning. Peter cannot be trusted when it comes to her. He is power hungry and Maggie hasn't learned to control what she is yet. He will take advantage of that."

"I can handle it. I can protect her." I said confidently. Maggie was my responsibility and I wouldn't let Peter hurt her, not again.

"You can't do it alone as much as you'd like to think you can and unfortunately the one person who you should trust to help you doesn't trust you at all." I knew he was talking about Scott.

"Scott." I confirmed.

"He's with Stilinski right now and even though I told Maggie I'd check up on you, I know she'll make a stop to check on you. You both need to get to Scott as fast as you can. I've known Gerard for a very long time. He always has a plan and something tells me it's going exactly the way he want's it to." Deaton explained. I didn't waste anymore time. I had to find Maggie before Peter did. We'd just started to work on becoming a family, I wasn't going to let Peter or Gerard take that away from us, not over my dead body.

**[Maggie's POV]**

I went by the railcar and couldn't find Derek anywhere. Erica, Boyd and Isaac all seemed to be resting and I didn't want to disturb them by making tons of noise but it didn't make sense that Derek wouldn't be there. I put up a protection spell on the railcar so that no one could get to Erica and the boys before giving Derek a call. I noticed a bit of purple residue on the floor just outside the car and leaned down to inspect it.

"Wolfsbane?" I could feel the tickle in the back of my throat and wiped my hands off quickly.

"Maggie! Where are you?" Derek finally answered his phone sounding out of breath.

"I'm at the railcar. Where the hell are you?" I asked confused.

"Why aren't you with Scott?" He asked incredulously.

"He's at the station, I wanted to check up-" He cut me off.

"Get to the station now. I'll meet you there okay? Don't stop until you get there." Derek sounded upset.

"Derek, what's going on? Where are you?" I asked pacing.

"Please Maggie, just go. I'll explain everything later. I just need you to do what I ask." Derek pleaded.

"Fine, I'm leaving now. I put a protection spell on Erica, Boyd and Isaac. I'll be at the station in 15 minutes." I said hurrying up the steps and pocketing my phone. I got in my car and hurried towards the station, hoping that whatever had Derek rattled was nothing too crazy. I don't think I could handle much more at this point. I thought about what Deaton had said and then Stiles came to mind. The thought of pushing him and Scott away made me feel sick. I was tired of having to give up the things I loved for what I am. I hated that this had to be my life. I wanted normalcy. I wanted to be able to go on a date with Stiles and not have to jump out of a window and run a country freaking mile to have a meltdown. I wanted to be able to worry more about passing my sophomore year than if Derek and Scott were getting along. I pulled up to the station and it looked dead. I parked next to Stiles and got out checking my phone.

"Hello sweetheart." I froze. I felt the ache in my chest right where my scar was and I slowly looked up towards the voice.

"No...no it can't be." The muscles in my body became heavy. I felt like my body was shutting down just seeing the illusion looking so real.

"You're...dead." I swallowed the lump in my throat as the illusion walked into the light.

"On the contrary. I've never felt more...alive." He moved towards me and I panicked.

"SCOTT!" I took off running towards the station doors, using every ounce of strength I had which made it feel like running through quicksand.

"SCOTT!" I tried to open the door but it was locked. I used a spell and unlocked it quickly bursting through it in search of someone else to confirm I wasn't seeing what I was seeing. It couldn't be Peter. It just couldn't be.

"Maggie." I looked up and saw Stiles standing completely still.

"Stiles! Thank God! I was-" Matt stepped out from behind Stiles and was pointing a gun at his head.

"If I so much as feel an itch from you trying to do some sort of magic, I'll put the first one in his head." Matt threatened with dark eyes. Stiles kept his eyes on me and I felt utterly helpless.


	11. Wolf's Law

**[Stiles POV]**

I watched the fear amplify over Maggie's face and it killed me. She looked like she felt instantly helpless as she held her hands up slowly in surrender but Matt clicked the safety off the gun.

"Do you think I'm joking?" Matt gritted his teeth.

"I can't do anything. I was poisoned at the party, I can't use my magic even if I wanted to." Maggie explained. Matt let out a chuckle.

"What kind of a witch gets spiked punched at a party? Shouldn't you be able to sense that?" Matt was mocking her and she shook her head slowly. I knew it was because of me biting my lip wanting to speak up.

"I guess not a very good one." She said as he shifted around me and gestured for her to walk towards me.

"Move." He shoved her in the shoulder with the gun and I quickly moved her in front of me. She grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze like she didn't want me to let go. Dad was the first one to catch sight of us as we shuffled through the hall.

"Sheriff?" Scott followed his eyes as Matt shoved me into the back of Maggie.

"Matt? It's Matt right? Matt, whatever's going on I can guarantee there's a solution that doesn't involve a gun." Dad tried to talk reason into Matt but I knew it wasn't going to work.

"It's funny you say that because I don't think you're aware of just how right you are." Matt glanced at the three of us and I hoped he wasn't about to reveal a crap ton of secrets that could possibly send my dad into cardiac arrest.

"I know you don't want to hurt people." Dad said hopeful.

"Actually I want to hurt a lot of people, you four weren't on my list but I can be persuaded. One way is trying to dial someone on your cellphone like McCall's doing." Scott jerked his hand out of his pocket and I glanced back at him pissed he'd gotten caught.

"See that could get someone hurt. Phones on the desk...NOW!" We all scrambled to pull out of cellphones and Matt smirked.

"There, happy?" I mumbled.

"Almost." Before any of us could react he fired. The bullet struck Maggie in the thigh and she fell to the ground letting out a scream.

"MATT!" Dad yelled but he turned the gun on him making him put his hands back up.

"You son of a bitch." I went to make a move towards him but Scott grabbed me. Maggie held up her bloody hand wincing.

"STILES STOP! It's FINE! I'm fine!" Maggie was putting pressure on her leg and all I could see was the blood soaking into her jeans.

"Mess with me again and the next one goes in someone's head. Now McCall, get her on her feet and let's go." Matt threatened. I went to reach down and help Maggie up but he hit me in the chest with the gun.

"Get the cuffs." He gestured to the desk and I stepped back from Maggie. Scott halled her up as I tried to focus on what Matt was telling me to do so he wouldn't hurt anyone else. We walked into the cell block and he pointed that gun at Dad.

"Lock him up." He told me and I did what he said but left them a bit loose.

"Do I need to put another bullet in her?" Matt threatened cutting his eyes over at Maggie. Her arm was slung over Scott's shoulder and her hand on the bleeding wound.

"Do what he says Stiles." Dad nodded at me and I tightened the cuffs.

"Matt, you've got to let Maggie go. That's a leg wound. She needs to stop the bleeding or she could bleed to death." Dad pleaded but Matt laughed.

"Really? She'll bleed out. That's funny because I was waiting for her to magically heal it." Matt hinted and I tore a strip of my shirt off from the bottom making him look at me puzzled.

"That's what people do when you shoot them, Matt. They bleed out." I said making him snarl at me before nodding that it was okay for me to approach her. I wrapped the piece of my shirt around the wound and looked her in the eyes.

"Breathe." I said and she did as I tightened it making her bit her bottom lip hard. I secured the shirt around her leg and she let out a staggered breath.

"Let's go." Matt hurried us out into the hallway and Maggie started to limp. She stopped suddenly, eyes blown out when we passed by the joining hallway. I looked over at what she was staring at and saw most of the department bloodied and paralyzed.

"Are you going to kill everyone in here?" Scott asked as I gave Maggie's hip a squeeze letting her know I was right there with her.

"No that's what Jackson's for. I just think about killing them and he does it." Matt shoved my shoulder again and I so badly wanted to deck him as we shuffled back into my Dad's office. He had Scott and I shred and delete every piece of evidence that pointed to him while held the gun on Maggie as motivation.

"You should really focus Stiles. I'd hate to have to shoot her again for your lack of obedience." Matt smirked at me before glancing over at her, checking her out.

"Why aren't you healing? Shouldn't you be healing by now?" Matt asked sounding annoyed at her for bleeding.

"I told you, I was poisoned. I'm not going to be able to heal myself right away. Maybe you should think twice before shooting people if it's a super inconvenience for you." Maggie glared at Matt making him shake his head.

"Alright that's it. We're done. So all the people you brutally murder deserved it because they killed you first- whatever the hell that means, we're good here right? We'll get my dad and Maggie to the hospital and say-" Matt narrowed his eyes at me.

"And say what?" Matt thought it was a joke.

"Self inflicted. Clearly Maggie doesn't know her gun safety. I blame lack of control myself." I said making Maggie shake her head at my attempt at humor at a time like this. Lights came shinning into the window as someone pulled up outside.

"Sounds like your mom is here, McCall." Matt said almost excited at the prospect of torturing someone else.

"Matt don't do this. When she comes to the door, I'll just tell her to leave. I'll tell her we didn't find anything. Please Matt!" Scott begged as the first set of doors squeaked from outside. Matt grabbed Maggie up by her hair and I moved around the desk quickly ready to attack only to be stopped by Scott once more.

"If you don't move now, I'm going to put a bullet in her head before I put one in Stiles. We'll see who heals faster." Matt's eyes became stone serious as Maggie struggle against the hold he had on her. Scott started walking towards the door and Matt tossed Maggie into my chest. I held her close to me as we followed Scott out of the room towards the reception area. I could tell by his slow pace that the last thing he wanted to do was open the door for his mom. I didn't envy him at all in this moment.

"Are you okay?" I asked stupidly but she just leaned into me more and shook her head. I ran my hand over her hair and tried to keep my heart steady trying to reassure her it would be okay.

"Open it." Matt paced on his feet like he was trying to prepare himself.

"Please-" Scott blinked slowly but Matt cut him off.

"Open. The. Door." Matt narrowed his eyes at Scott and I looked over at him. Scott slowly went for the door knob and when he opened it, we were all surprised to see it wasn't Melissa.

"Oh thank God!" Scott breathed as Derek stood there motionless. He didn't say anything, he merely tumbled into the door and slid across the floor like his entire body shut down. It was more clear what was going on once we saw Jackson standing behind him, only partially in Kanima form. If he'd already gotten Derek, we were screwed.

**[Scott's POV]**

Derek hit the floor with a hard thunk and Maggie tried to pull away from Stiles to get to him but he held onto her like I had done to him earlier. We didn't need her to get hurt anymore than she already was when she couldn't heal herself.

"This is the one controlling him? This kid?" Derek grunted annoyed.

"Well Derek we're all not lucky enough to be a big bad werewolf." Matt leaned over Derek only to spring back up and look at the rest of us.

"That's right, I've learned a few things lately. Werewolves and hunters, Kanima's and witches, although I'm fairly unimpressed with you, Maggie. I expected...more." Matt waved the gun around at her.

"If you touch her, I'll tear your head off." Derek growled protectively.

"Little bit late big guy." Stiles spoke up making Matt laugh.

"You know, I've been wondering how you fit into all of this Stiles. It's like a fricken Halloween party every full moon except for you. What do you turn into?" Matt asked making Maggie grip his shirt tighter.

"Abominable snow man but it's more of like a winter time thing." I silently cursed him for being a smartass but Matt pursed his lips nodding at Jackson who sliced the back of Stiles neck without thinking twice. The poison was almost instant as he stumbled slightly, letting go of Maggie so he wouldn't bring her down with him when he toppled to the floor.

"B-bitch." Stiles fell on top of Derek who grunted from the impact. I tried to move quick enough to steady Maggie but the kanima put his finger up in my face as a warning. Maggie held out her hand trying to tell me she was okay but for some reason whatever Deaton used to calm her down had slowed her healing almost to a human pace. I could tell she was trying to mumble a spell but it seemed the shock of being shot kept her abilities waning.

"Get him off of me." Derek breathed.

"Oh I don't know Derek, I think you two make a pretty good pair. It must kind of suck though, to have all that power taken away with just a cut of the back of the neck. I bet you aren't used to feeling this helpless, especially with your little sister bleeding out over here." Matt assumed Maggie was Derek's sister for some reason but none of us were really worried about correcting him in that moment.

"Still got some teeth, why don't you lean down here a little closer and we'll see how helpless I am." Derek challenged.

"Yeah bitch." Stiles added. Matt cut his eyes at Maggie and I started to panic a bit.

"You see, that's the problem with the bunch of you. You never know when to keep your mouths shut." Matt swung the gun hard and slammed her in the forehead.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Derek growled loudly. Matt chuckled as he straighten his back out. I dropped to my knees and reached out to Maggie.

"Mags...talk to me. Are you okay?" I asked as Matt stood back and let me touch her shoulder. She just blinked hard and winced as I noticed the blood trickling down the side of her face.

"What's happening!? Maggie?! ARE YOU OKAY?!" Stiles yelled unable to see her to know what had happened.

"The more you idiots keep jacking your jaws, the more I'm going to inflict pain on her. Are we clear?" Matt yelled.

"On your feet McCall." He stabbed my in the shoulder with the gun and I got up slowly. I could hear my mom parking her car and wished for a moment I could send messages with my mind.

"Do what I tell you to do and I won't hurt your mom. I won't even let Jackson near her." Matt promised.

"Scott, don't trust him." Maggie said from the floor not even looking up at him. Matt grabbed Stiles by his shirt, ripping it as he tore him from Derek's shoulder and planted his boot on his chest.

"You want to pipe up now? How about we give your little boyfriend a try huh? Does this work better for you both?" Stiles couldn't breathe and neither Maggie or myself could help him.

"Stop! STOP IT!" Maggie shouted desperately as Stiles face started to turn red from Matt's weight crushing down against his chest.

"Okay! I'll do it. Stop! STOP IT!" I spoke up and he finally lifted his foot off of Stiles chest allowing him to breathe.

"You take these three in there, McCall's with me." Matt said as Jackson leaned down, snatching Derek and Stiles by their shirts and dragging them into the Sheriff's office. I helped Maggie to her feet and she held onto the wall as she walked in front of Jackson into the next room. I unlocked the door and led Matt around the corner, waiting for my mom to walk in and find us. I cringed when the door opened and her scent hit me. I couldn't let my mom get hurt. Maggie was bad enough and I already wanted to rip his head off for the abuse he inflicted on her.

"Mom?" I called out to her when Matt shoved me with the gun.

"You scared me, where is every-" She looked up at me and froze on the spot. I knew Matt was pointing the gun at me just by how horrified her face looked.

"Mom, just do what he says, he promised he wouldn't hurt you." I told her firmly.

"He's right." I turned towards Matt and he lowered the gun to my side and fired. Mom let out a scream and covered her mouth. I could hear the Sheriff yelling from the cell block and the pain of being shot was instant and almost like I was hit with a fireball. I kept my hand over the wound, feeling the blood and the searing pain as I looked up at Matt.

"But I didn't say I wouldn't hurt you." Matt shrugged.

"Baby-" Mom took a few steps towards me but Matt put the gun in her face.

"BACK! GET BACK!" He yelled.

"Mom stop! Mom." I didn't want her to make a move and get hurt. I would heal...but it occurred to me that she didn't know that.

"I said get back." She looked down at me as Matt insisted.

"Scott-" I cut her off.

"Mom do it. Please mom." I begged her and she held Matt's gaze as she took two steps back.

"Get up McCall." Matt seethed as I tried to quickly regain my strength back.

"MATT! LISTEN TO ME ALRIGHT!" The Sheriff yelled making Matt grab his head.

"Shut up SHUT UP! EVERYONE SHUT THE HELL UP! Now get up or I shoot her next!" Matt threaten and I used all my strength to push myself up on my left hand. Matt shoved me towards the cell block and into the wall as we rounded the corner. The Sheriff's eyes went wide looking at bloody shirt. He tossed my mom in the cell and locked it as she tried to contain herself. I could feel the healing start but slowly. Maggie was right, the punch from the party was still in my system and making all my abilities lacking.

"Please he needs to see a doctor." Mom was a mess.

"You think so?" Matt mocked her pain.

"Hey! YOU LISTEN TO ME! YOU PUT ANOTHER BULLET IN ONE OF MY KIDS-" I cut the Sheriff off.

"It's alright. I'm okay." I said weakly.

"No honey you're not okay." Mom shook her head as tears streamed down her face.

"It doesn't hurt mom." I tried to play it off.

"That's the adrenaline. Please just let me take a look at him, I can help stop the bleeding." Mom tried to bargain with Matt and he simply laughed.

"How long would you say it takes someone to bleed out exactly? I mean I shot Maggie a while ago and such a small girl should be near death by now right?" Matt waved the gun around and the Sheriff was seething.

"I swear to God, I will-" Matt let out a loud chuckle.

"They have no idea do they?" Matt looked at me and felt panic wash over me. I didn't want to tell my mom like this.

"Please Matt! Please just let me look at them." Mom spoke again and Matt shook his head.

"Shut up, shut up SHUT UP! Lady if you keep talking, I'm going to put the next bullet through his head." Matt warned my mom and she took a step back.

"Okay." She looked over at me and I gave her a nod.

"Let's go McCall." Matt glared at the Sheriff before gesturing the gun back towards the Sheriff's office. When I walked in, Maggie's eyes were closed and her body was slack on the ground as she leaned against a desk.

"Maggie! Come on!" I ran towards her making her eyes shoot open.

"You gotta stay awake, alright?" I said firmly as she winced. Matt jerked me away from her and I had had enough. I wasn't sure what was going on with Maggie but if there was even a slight possibility that she could die then I wasn't just going to stand around and watch it happen.

"The evidence is gone! You can just go!" I raised my voice throwing my hands out.

"You think that evidence mattered that much? No I want the book!" Matt said a bit taken back by my sudden rage.

"What book!?" I ask confused.

"The bestiary! Not just a few pages, I want the whole thing." Matt explained.

"I don't have that! It belongs to Gerard. What do you want it for anyway? You know what the kanima can do. What else do you need to know?" I pressed frustrated with this whole run around. Matt shook his head before lifting his shirt up and revealing shinning scales much like Jackson's when he was only half transformed. We all stared at it in shock, unsure what the hell was going on.

**[Maggie's POV]**

Matt dragged Scott into another room to try and contact Allison about the bestiary. My mind immediately went to Derek. I knew he wasn't going to be safe here if the Argent's showed up. I reached back up on the Sheriff's desk and rooted for something sharp.

"Maggie, are you okay? What are you doing?" Stiles asked cutting his eyes over towards me unsure of what the sudden jostling I was doing was for.

"Why aren't you healing?" Derek asked sounding worried.

"Lydia poisoned me at the party, Deaton had to give me something and it must have suppressed my wolf." I explained reaching up to dab at the gash on my head.

"Use a spell and heal yourself then." Derek insisted impatiently.

"She can't do magic after taking a blow to the head. It's not safe." Stiles argued with him.

"What are you looking for?" Derek asked curiously as my hands found an envelop opener.

"I have to get the bullet out of my leg. Maybe the pain will trigger something and speed up my healing." I explained unwrapping Stiles shirt from my leg looking at the wound. I'd never been shot before but I don't know why I'd expected it to look worse. For a second I felt horrible that Stiles ruined his shirt

"What if it doesn't work? I mean do you even know what you're doing?" Stiles heartbeat was beating so loud in my head I wanted to throw something at him.

"Look, I'm about to cut a bullet out of my leg but your heartbeat is making my head feel like it might explode. Please take a deep breath and calm down. I'm begging you." I explained picking up the stack of postit notes to bite down on.

"I'm sorry, I can't help it. It's just...I hate that you're hurt..that I let him hurt you." I took the postit notes out of my mouth and kept my eyes on Stiles. I hated that he felt guilty for what Matt did to me. It wasn't his fault.

"Do you remember when we were kids and we'd get hurt and your mom would tell us stories so we didn't have to think about the pain we were in while she patched us up?" I waited a few moments for Stiles to respond.

"Y-yeah. I remember." He finally replied clearly off guard.

"I'm in a lot of pain right now and I'm about to hopefully lessen that. If you want to help me, tell me a story...please." My tone was clearly broken and I wished it hadn't.

"I…I can't think of anything. My mind is completely blank right now." Stiles confessed.

"How can your mind be completely blank? You're always running your mouth about something." Derek gritted.

"Oh I don't know, maybe because we're all being held hostage by a sociopath with a freaking murderous lizard who has already managed to hurt all three of the supernatural creatures roaming about this place!" Stiles argued.

"Stiles! Please!" I begged leaning my head back against the desk. I could hear him taking a few deep breaths as he composed himself.

"So I found an old friend of yours in a box the other day. I don't know if you'll remember it but the moment I put my hand on it, I knew what it was." Stiles started telling his story and I put the postit notes in my mouth and bit down.

"Your favorite animal hasn't always been a groundhog. Ironically enough, it was a wolf." I started digging the bullet out of my leg and tried not to let out too many whines of pain. Stiles spoke louder still trying to keep my attention.

"You had this little black stuffed wolf with blue eyes when we were really little. I think you called him Wolfie. You carried him everywhere and never let me play with it." Stiles paused as I held my breath and forced the bullet out.

"I don't remember who the lady was that gave it to you but-" Derek cut Stiles off.

"My mother…my mother gave it to her." Derek breathed. The bullet fell to the floor with barely a tink and I spit the postit notes out to breathe.

"Jesus...are you okay? Did it work? Did you get it out?" Stiles asked sounding pained. I closed my eyes for a moment and felt my head ache start to ease up.

"Maggie!" Derek raised his voice impatiently.

"I'm healing. I can feel it. It's slow but I can work through it." I breathed feeling the tissue of my leg slowly healing.

"Thank god. Now what are we going to do about Matt? Do either of you know what's going on with him?" Stiles questioned.

"The books not going to help him. You can't just break the rules, not like this." Derek breathed.

"What do you mean?" Stiles was confused.

"The universe balances things out. It always does." Derek continued.

"Is it because he's using Jackson to kill people who don't deserve it?" Stiles pressed.

"And killing people himself." I added.

"So if Matt breaks the rules of the Kanima, he becomes the Kanima." Stiles put the pieces together as I thought about what I could possibly do next knowing that Matt was going to use Scott to bring the Argent's here.

"Balance." Derek concluded.

"Do you think he'll believe us if we tell him that or are we just going to sit here and wait to die?" Stiles asked as I shifted on the floor catching Jackson's eye.

"No I have a plan." I spoke up.

"Maggie, whatever you're thinking-" Derek started to say but I cut him off.

"If the Argent's are coming, I have to get you out of here. They'll kill you Derek." I started to get emotional and Derek didn't fight me.

"Whoa wait a second, why would the Argent's want to kill you? I mean more so than usual?" Stiles asked confused. I wasn't going to tell Derek's secret. That was between the two of us and if he wanted to explain then he would. Derek let out a sigh.

"I bit Allison's mother." He confessed.

"You did what?" Stiles was flabbergasted.

"She was trying to kill Scott and she attacked me. They have a code if one of their own gets bitten." Derek explained as I remember that night sitting with Derek and holding his hand trying to comfort him. He knew it would change everything but he had to save Scott. There was no other option.

"What does that mean?" Stiles asked sounding almost weary of the answer.

"It means she's probably already dead and they'll be coming for my head." I let out a sob and tried to get a hold of myself. Getting upset at a time like this wasn't going to save anyone.

"I can get you out of here…I have to get you out of here." I said firmly wiping my face and clearing my throat.

"Maggie, listen to me okay? I need you to be strong right now. Things look really bad but you're strong. Everything is going to be okay." I looked over at Derek and Stiles lying next to one another and could see how surprised Stiles was at how gentle Derek was being with me.

"The Argent's aren't the only one with a bestiary. If Matt wants answers, I'll give him some or at least stall him long enough for you to work the venom out of your system and get out of here." I explained.

"Maggie, what are you going to-" I cut Stiles off.

"MATT! MATT I CAN HELP YOU! MATT!" I yelled making Jackson look over at me before crossing the floor. Stiles and Derek started yelling at Jackson to try and get him to stop but Matt rounded the corner calling him off.

"Do I need to have Jackson rip your throat out?" Matt questioned harshly with Scott in front of him, clearly confused.

"I can help try and reverse what is happening to you." Matt knelt down in front of me and eyed me up and down, letting his vision stop on my healing leg wound.

"On your feet, Stevens. You're with us." Matt shook his head before standing and Scott helped me up from the ground before Matt herded us both back into the area they'd just come from. I glanced back for only a moment at Derek and Stiles as they remained motionless on the floor, hoping that this plan would work.

**[Scott's POV]**

Maggie was able to walk on her own now that she healed her leg but I was still slowly healing from my own gunshot wound. Matt gestured for the two of us towards a desk and I grabbed a hold of Maggie's hand with my free one. I held my right hand to my wound and waited for it to heal.

"You know, I feel sorry for you guys. Right now you're both probably thinking, how am I going to explain this when it heals? The sad part is you don't even realize how incredible it is that you are healing." Matt said looking at me.

"You think this is easy? Being what we are? It's not." Maggie spoke up and I squeezed her hand trying to get her to stop trying to poke Matt.

"Yeah well you know what happens to normal people when they get shot? They die!" He snarled before turning away from the both of us. It occurred to me that we needed to have Matt open up to us. If we were going to figure out this whole thing, why he's done the things he's done then we had to hear the story.

"Is that what happened to you? You drowned didn't you?" I thought back to why the Kanima didn't like water and Matt's freak out earlier in the pool tonight.

"He shouldn't have let them drink." Matt breathed.

"Who? Who let who drink?" I asked curiously.

"LAHEY! He let the stupid swim team drink, you idiot!" Maggie flinched next to me.

"I didn't know what was happening. I didn't know they'd just won state and Lahey's letting his favorites come over to have a couple drinks to celebrate. Who cares that they're seventeen, right?" Matt explained further. I had no idea that Matt even knew Isaac, let alone his dad.

"You and Isaac used to exchange comics. He mentioned that once but I didn't know it was you." Maggie spoke up from next to me and Matt shrugged.

"He had this first edition…was it Batman…or Spiderman? We were gonna make a trade but then I'm over there and I hear music and everyone's having a good time. I see Sean throw Jessica into the pool and then Bennett goes in-" I knew that name.

"Bennett…the hunter." Maggie whispered reminding me.

"And then Camden, Isaac's stupid jarhead brother grabs me. He thinks it's funny." Matt pauses and I can hear his heart beating.

"They threw you in." I said staring at him.

"I yelled that I can't swim but no one listens. I go under and I start swallowing water but nobody cares. I start seeing all these bodies under the water, Jessica's got her hands down Sean's board shorts and Tucker's grabbing on Kara and I'm drowning." Matt's voice breaks and I feel my hand loosen on Maggie slightly.

"I'm dying and they're laughing." Matt rumbled.

"Then all the sudden, I'm lying by the pool and Lahey is right there above me saying…you tell no one." Matt whispered at first before turning suddenly and pointing the gun at my chest making Maggie grip my arm tensely.

"YOU TELL NO ONE! THIS IS YOUR FAULT! YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO SWIM? WHAT LITTLE BASTARD DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO SWIM! YOU SAY NOTHING!" I blinked at Matt hoping he would back up as Maggie held onto me like she was afraid Matt would hurt me.

"I didn't tell anyone. I would see them at school and they wouldn't even look at me. I'd wake up in the middle of the night gasping for air and my parent's thought I was asthmatic. They had no idea that every time I closed my eyes...I was drowning." A tear rolled down Matt's face and I could tell he was reliving that moment of his life.

"You know that little white light that they talk about, the one you're supposed to see when you die…well I didn't see anything, only darkness. That was until the Argent's funeral." Matt's face seemed to brighten which I thought was odd.

"I was just taking some photos and purely by accident, Lahey gets in one of the photos. I looked down at the screen of my camera with this unbelievable rage that just fills me to the brim and all I want is for him to be dead. The next day, he actually was." Matt turned and looked at the both of us now that Maggie had let go of my arm and stared back at him.

"Einstein was right, imagination is more important that knowledge. It was like something out of Greek mythology, like the furies coming down to punish Orestes." Matt let out sigh when he saw my face of confusion.

"You have no idea what I'm talking about do you?" He questioned.

"Is that the guy who stabbed out his eyes?" I threw out there as a guess but that only seemed to fuel Matt.

"That's Oedipus you dumbass!" Matt yelled waving the gun around again but Maggie jumped in front of me.

"The furies are deities of vengeance. They were the outcasts, the scorned. Their tears ran of blood and they had snakes for hair. If there was a crime that had gone unpunished, the furies would do the punishing by making the rightful offenders suffer and pay with their lives." The more Maggie talked, the more Matt seemed to be impressed. I tried to put my hand on her to pull her back next to me but she shrugged me off.

"That's the thing about vengeance, no one wins. You either learn to deal with the emptiness that was created or you try and make the world around you suffer but you don't win anything. The people you've killed, they're gone. They aren't suffering, you are." Maggie sounded sympathetic to his situation in a strange way, almost like she could relate.

"I didn't give you enough credit Maggie. You're a lot smarter than you let on." Matt grinned wickedly at Maggie before craning his head to look at Jackson.

"You see, Jackson is my fury. The night after Lahey's murder I saw him and knew there was a bond cemented between us. I knew he killed Lahey for me and I knew he would do it again. So I went to Tucker's garage, I even paid for an oil change and the idiot didn't even recognize me. So I took his picture." Matt stepped back from Maggie and I and she finally stepped next to me putting her hand on my side and muttering something that sounded like a spell. I could feel my healing start to quicken.

"A few hours after I took his picture, he was dead. So I just kept taking pictures. All I had to do was take their picture and Jackson would take their life." Matt smirked as Maggie let go of my side.

"There's a flaw in your logic, Matt." Maggie spoke up again and I wished she hadn't.

"Oh yeah? Why's that?" Matt crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against a desk.

"Death isn't always a white light Matt. Sometimes you die and that's it. It's dark and scary and you're alone." She took a step towards Matt.

"Maggie-" She shook her head at me as I stood up. I felt fully healed and I didn't want her making any sudden movements towards him.

"Sometimes people think they're helping you and all the do is end up making you miserable. You wake up every night in this cold sweat terrified and angry, knowing they don't understand what you're going through-that they'll never know, that they don't even have a clue because if they did, they would live in fear of your wrath." I listened to Maggie as she continued to step towards Matt. She was taking about what Stiles and I did. There wasn't a skipped beat in her heart as she spoke.

"They wouldn't ever be able to sleep knowing that your pain motivates you and that what they thought was innocent fun or selfless sacrifice actually fuels your hate fire even more." Maggie's tone broke a bit in rage and I kept my eyes on her as Matt stood up in front of her.

"And who gets your wrath Maggie? Who will pay for making you suffer? For bringing you back to all this pain and chaos? Just who fuels your hate fire and why haven't you made them feel it yet?" Matt stared at Maggie, toe to toe and she turned her head just slightly as if she was going to look at me but then suddenly the lights went out.

"What is this? What's happening?" Matt asked confused as the emergency lights came on and the alarm sounded.

"WHAT DID YOU DO!?" He put the gun to Maggie's chest and she backed into mine with her hands up.

"I didn't do anything." She defended. I pulled her behind me to protect her and Matt's eyes went to the windows as lights started to shine through.

"What the hell?" Maggie put her hand up unable to see but I could see clearly.

"DOWN!" I tackled Maggie to the ground as bullets started to rip through the side of the windows bouncing off the walls and desk, tearing it apart. I pulled Maggie into my chest and scooted under a desk. She held onto me tightly and I made sure she was shielded as best as I could until the noise stopped. I didn't know if she truly felt rage towards Stiles and I but I didn't care. She was my best friend and I wasn't going to let her get hurt anymore.

**[Stiles POV]**

I felt the tingling sensation in my toes when the lights went out but it was the rapid gunfire that lit a match under me. I need mobility and I needed it now.

"MAGGIE! SCOTT!" I yelled hoping they would respond just so I knew they were okay but I got no response.

"DAMNIT!" Derek rumbled equally as frustrated as I was.

"Look, you need to get Maggie out of here okay? You didn't see what he did to her. I need you to promise me that you'll get her out of here." I pleaded seeing Derek cut his eyes at me.

"I was wrong okay? I see now how much you care about her. I care about her too and it kills me to see her getting hurt all the time. Please just promise me you'll get her out of here." I held his gaze.

"Maggie isn't safe with me right now. She needs to stay as close to you and Scott as she can." I could tell it actually pained Derek to admit that.

"It's more than the Argent's right now. Whatever happened earlier, I have no doubt that Maggie wasn't just trying to protect you but your father. Don't feel responsible for that." I was completely thrown by what Derek was saying. I'd never seen him like this before which made me more nervous because I could tell he was desperate and scared. Before I could question him, Maggie and Scott came running in, smoke billowing in behind them.

"Are you okay?" Scott put his hand on my shoulder and Maggie laid her hand on Derek's chest chanting.

"I'm fine! You need to get him out of here." Derek said gesturing to me.

"Derek, I'm going with you." Maggie said shaking her head as Scott grabbed my arm.

"Maggie, I'll be fine. You need to take Stiles or he's going to get hurt when they come storming in here. I promise I will be fine." Derek said firmly and Maggie looked over at me desperately.

"GO!" Derek shouted as he rolled to his feet. Maggie grabbed my other arm and hooked it over her shoulder so her and Scott could drag me to safety. We only managed to get through the first door before I saw Jackson trailing us.

"We got company!" I said making Scott stop long enough to shut and lock it as if that would keep him out.

"Come on!" Maggie yelled as we shuffled through the next door and locked it. Jackson broke through the doors almost catching up to us until we reached the interrogation room.

"Maggie lock it!" Scott grabbed my full weight and she quickly locked the giant metal door before backing into Scott and I. We all stood holding our breath for a moment until nothing tried to break the door down.

"Get him in the chair." Maggie said making Scott drag me over and put me in the chair. My head fell backwards and she gripped it holding it up.

"I've got to go help my mom and the Sheriff." Scott looked at Maggie and she bit her lip glancing down at me.

"Just be careful." She said before Scott ran out of the room. She shut the door and locked it back before returning to my side and holding my head up.

"You finally started to heal." I said noticing her lack of limp and head wound.

"Yeah." She nodded her head and continued to stroke the back of my head.

"I'm sorry." I couldn't help but apologize. Just seeing her face looking so distracted and tense made me feel guilty.

"What are you sorry for?" She shook her head looking at me curiously. I could feel my limbs regaining some strength buy my body was still pretty numb.

"For everything, for missing our date, for telling you to come here and walking you into a trap, for letting Matt hurt you. For being the reason you're stuck here now when you really want to be out there helping Derek." She frowned stroking my face.

"Derek told me to find you and Scott so I would have come here anyway and what Matt did to me isn't your fault unless you can somehow predict the future." Maggie explained.

"So I guess I'm the only one bummed about our date then?" I joked trying to lighten the mood and she smiled sorely.

"I'm just really worried about Derek. He won't leave. He's going to try and help Scott take on Jackson and I just don't want them to hurt him." Maggie looked down at my chest and I wished I could reach out and take her hand.

"How about you promise me that you'll be careful yourself and not get hurt anymore and I'll swear not to move? I'll even rain check on the date." I offered. She looked to the door before looking back at me and seeing that I wasn't moving. She leaned forward and kissed the side of my mouth like she wasn't sure she wanted to commit to my lips but also knew she didn't want to just kiss my cheek, lingering for a few moments so I could take in the last bit of her perfume.

"Thank you." She whispered into my ear before jumping up quickly and unlocking the door. She looked at me one last time before taking off and leaving me on my own. I started kicking my legs around and flailing my arms knowing there was no way I'd be able to sit still while everyone else was fighting.

**[Maggie's POV]**

I felt at full strength now that I was healed and had adrenaline pumping through my veins. I was trying to tune out the alarms and the smells around me so I could focus. I needed to find Derek and Scott so I could make sure Derek got to safety and everyone else was safe. I stopped short when I came around the corner and almost ran smack into an unexpected face. Allison's expression hardened as she held the bow out at me.

"Where's Derek?" She asked keeping her jaw tight.

"You know I'm not going to tell you that." I said honestly putting my hands up but staying ready at the same time. If Allison wanted to fight me than I would fight to disarm and stabilize the threat but I wouldn't try and hurt her.

"I know the anger you're feeling right now. You can't let it turn into vengeance Allison." She shook her head at me.

"You have no idea what I'm feeling right now but I'm not here for you. I'm here for Derek." She gritted.

"You see how that becomes my problem right? He's my family. I won't just let you hurt him." I squared my feet, keeping my eyes on hers.

"Then I guess you were right before. This was inevitable. You're a Hale and I'm an Argent. We're just met to be enemies." She shrugged like it didn't even matter to her that we were just allies not even 24 hours ago. It was truly sad.

"I'm sorry-" She shook the bow at me as a warning.

"Don't! I don't want your apologies." I could see the pain on her face and I wanted so badly to hug her but I knew that pain. That uncontrollable anger that made you feel like your insides were on fire and no matter how much you cried, there was no relief. Losing your mother was like losing your heart. It left you empty and unable to truly function.

"We aren't friends, we aren't allies. We're enemies. This is your only heads up." She warned and the intensity behind her eyes told me she was serious. I was distracted by the sound of the Sheriff yelling in the cell block and took my eyes off of her. When I looked back she was gone. Melissa's screams were what snapped me into action as I ran for the cell block to see Matt had knocked the Sheriff out and now had Melissa pleading with him as he crept closer to the bars of the cell.

"How totally clueless are you people!?" Matt taunted her putting the gun up to the bars. I could feel her anxiety, feel her fear for Scott and everyone else. I hated feeling how terrified she was. It had made me want to tear Matt's head off.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" I roared making Matt turn around. Derek came through the door on the other side of the room, wolfed out and ready to fight. We were blocking the exits.

"Oh my god…" Melissa was staring a Derek completely confused by what she was seeing as he snarled and snapped his teeth at Matt. He took a step forward but I stopped him.

"Derek don't! You need to get the Jackson." Matt stared at Derek for a moment before I felt my muscles growing stronger, my bones becoming heavier. I cracked my head to the side and Matt was now looking at me shocked.

"Your eyes…" He breathed with a furrowed brow.

"Oh you haven't seen anything yet." I felt truly powerful and growled at him. I could now feel his sense of doubt and anger.

"But you're just a witch." He argued moving away from Melissa.

"You couldn't even comprehend what I am. Let's see you take me on now." I approached him ready to fight and he tried to take a swing the gun around at me but I knocked it out of his hands before landing an epic gut punch. Jackson slid across the floor in full Kanima form making Derek growl and tackle him. Matt got to his feet and threw another punch towards me and I caught it gripping his fist in my hand and squeezing until I could feel the bones starting to shake.

"AHH!" Matt choked in pain as he started to go to his knees. I felt this rush inflicting pain on him. I didn't know what it was but a part of me liked it. Something caught my eye on the floor and I glanced over to see Stiles lying on his stomach watching me. I started to loosen the grip I had on Matt, realizing how much of a monster I probably looked like enjoying the pain I was causing another human being.

"Maggie!" He yelled pointing and when I looked back at Matt, I was met with a sucker punch that knocked me backwards. Derek came flying into me sending us both over the metal table and to the floor. The Kanima hissed and crawled up the cell that Melissa was in but I couldn't get out of Derek's limbs long enough to stop him.

"Are you okay?" Derek asked me helping me get free of him.

"Y-yeah I'm fine." I looked up and saw that Matt had taken off but Scott had run in and yanked the Kanima off the cell door. It was enough to scare him off and Derek went chasing after it.

"Scott! Scott are you okay? Scott?" Melissa gripped the bars and Scott looked at me as he stood slowly. I gave him a slight nod knowing that it was time his mom knew the truth. He turned his head slowly and her eyes went wide. He turned his whole body towards her and she shook her head in disbelief, backing away. Scott considered taking a step forward but she started crying.

"No!" She backed into the darkness of the cell and Scott dropped his head.

"Scott…" I stepped towards him but he took off out the same door Derek and the Kanima had. I could hear sirens in the distance as I ran over to the Sheriff and put my hand on his head trying to heal him as much as I could before running into the hall to see Stiles still trying to slither backwards.

"Hey!" I shouted making him yelp.

"Jesus! You scared me." Stiles admitted as he flipped over. I sat him up and leaned him against the wall before sitting on his legs.

"You swore that you wouldn't move." I reminded but he lifted his hand and touched my face.

"Yeah well you promised not to get hurt. How's the cheek?" I grabbed his hand and rolled my eyes.

"I'm fine." Stiles narrowed his eyes at me.

"You got sucker punched. Humor me." Stiles gripped my chin and turned my head sideways to look at my face. I let out an exhausted sigh when he turned my chin back to face him.

"See? I'm fine. Supernatural being remember?" I pointed out and regretted it because of how he saw me acting earlier. He let out a sigh and put his hands up.

"It seems someone called for backup. They should be here soon. Where's Scott?" Stiles pointed out. I bit my lip.

"He took off. Melissa saw him wolfed out and didn't react well." I felt horrible for Scott and Stiles banged his head against the wall shaking his head clearly feeling the same disappointment I felt.

"Damn…" Stiles breathed.

"We should get you in there with your dad, can you walk?" I asked curiously but he shook his head.

"No." He said simply. I felt a rush of concern looking him over.

"What? What's wrong?" I asked putting a hand on his chest.

"You're sitting on my legs." He said simply making me sigh. He gave a slight smile as I stood up and pulled him to his feet. He had regained most of his strength but still put his arm around my shoulders. I knew Derek had gotten out when the police stormed the building and cleared it with the exception of the four of us. There were ambulances all over the lot as John made Stiles and I sit on the back bumper of one while he tried to help the other officers piece things together. Jackson had managed to only kill a few of the officers and the rest were loaded up and taken to the hospital. Melissa was in shock for most of it. I can't imagine how confused and heartbroken she must be as a mother seeing your child as something other than your actual child. She kept her distance from me as well. I couldn't stop thinking about Scott and how devastated he was. I had gotten a text from Isaac saying Derek had shown up and asked for me to keep my distance for a few days until things died down. I understood but I didn't like it. I looked around at all the people rushing around, collecting evidence, helping the wounded and trying to piece it all together. It was the person in the distance that remained motionless that caught my eye in all the chaos. The silent observer who made my heart stop. I had no idea why I kept seeing Peter but every time I did I felt like I was losing my mind. In a way, it made sense. He would be standing on the sidelines of chaos doing nothing but taking it all in. That was the kind of monster he was and I refused to be that.

"Maggie?! Maggie?! I'm looking for Maggie Stevens." I looked towards the voice and saw it was Nathan. I jumped out of Stiles grip and ran over to him. Before I could say anything he hugged me tightly.

"Jesus Kid! You sure know how to give a guy a heart attack." He breathed. I hugged him back until he pulled me away and looked me over.

"John called me and told me some psycho held you guys hostage. Are you okay? Are you hurt?" His heart was racing. He was genuinely terrified.

"I'm..I'm fine. What are you doing here? I thought you were out of town?" I questioned confused.

"I came back early and got the house together. Melissa was helping me do your room to surprise you." Nathan explained.

"You did that for me?" I asked surprised.

"Yeah I wanted you to feel like it was really your home. If you don't like it then we can make changes." Nathan had actually made a huge effort in making me feel like family. I honestly didn't think he wanted to take me on as a burden but he actually set up a home for the two of us. John had walked up with Stiles and put his hand on Nathan's shoulder.

"I was going to run them to the house if you want to follow-" I cut John off.

"Actually...I was wondering if I could go home...with Nathan." Stiles looked surprised.

"Are you sure? You don't have to if you aren't ready." John said but I shook my head giving a weak smile.

"No no I really want to see the new house. It's been a long night and I just want to sleep in my own bed for a change." I explained seeing John smile relieved.

"Then I guess I'll give you a call in the morning to check on you." He pulled me into a hug and kissed the top of my head.

"Thank you for everything." I said into his chest.

"You're always welcome. We're family kiddo. You know where to find us." He smiled at me and I looked over at Stiles. Nathan and John backed away giving us some space.

"I need to do this Stiles. Please don't be mad at me." I pleaded but he shook his head pulling me into his chest.

"I know you do. Just hug me okay?" Stiles said into my hair as I hugged him back tightly.

"I won't be going that far and I promise to text you first thing in the morning." I said into his neck.

"I know, I know I just...it's hard letting you go even just a little bit." Stiles lips were on my temple and I tried not to think about what Deaton said earlier. Letting him go again would be just as painful as it was before, if not more. I wanted to savor the time I had left with him. I pulled away and looked at him.

"Get some sleep alright? I'll text you." I leaned up quickly and kissed the side of his mouth again. I felt his lips tug sideways trying to kiss me back but I had already pulled away and ran over to Nathan. I knew there was no chance in them letting me drive so I went ahead and rode to the house with Nathan. The lights were all on when we pulled up and it actually looked like a real home.

"Anything you don't like, you can change. I think Melissa asked Scott what your old room looked like and I just sort of ran from there. All of the family stuff...the uh...the witch stuff is in the attic. I figured you could figure out all that." Nathan was ranting as we walked up the rocky driveway and towards the house. He put the key in the door and opened it keeping a hand on my back as I walked in and saw the kitchen was now decorated and stocked. There were paintings on the wall and coats hanging on the hooks.

"There's a guest room so if anyone wants to stay they're more than welcome. I didn't really go all out with decorating that one." Nathan was trying really hard and I chuckled.

"Anyone that would use the guest room wouldn't judge you on your curtain choice." I said letting Nathan show me the rest of the house before taking me upstairs to the closed door which I remembered as my room. I looked at Nathan and he gave me a nod before I opened the door and flicked the light on. It looked almost like my room at Karen's but there was a space by the window that I could read and look out at the water. My bed was bigger and the sheets were the same from my old room. I had to put my hand over my mouth to keep from getting upset just seeing the framed pictures of Karen and I on the dresser with her old jewelry box.

"Do...do you hate it? I got a storage unit for all the other stuff. I can pull from there-" I put my hand on Nathan's arm and shook my head.

"It's perfect...thank you." I wiped my tears out of my eyes and he let out a breath relieved. It actually felt like home.

"We can get your clothes tomorrow. I think Melissa left some in the dresser." Nathan explained and I shook my head.

"I think I'm going to shower and get some sleep. You'll be in your room?" I asked just to make sure and Nathan looked almost confused by the question.

"I'll be downstairs for a bit but if you need anything just call out, okay?" He put his hand on my shoulder and I smiled.

"You sure you're alright Kid?" Nathan questioned and I laughed.

"You know you're the only one who calls me Kid right?" I pointed out and he shrugged.

"Yeah well I figure someone with a whole lot of gifts in such a small package could still work." He joked and I felt myself smile genuinely for the first time all night. Nathan walked to the door.

"Hey Nathan...thank you seriously. This definitely does feel like home." He seemed to take pride in that and nod at me before shutting the door. I looked through some of the drawers and the closet before I decided I wanted to get a shower. I tried to let all of my thoughts and pain from tonight wash down the drain but it was never that easy. It was never easy to take my mind off of all the things we had to go through, all the things we'd have to continue to go through. I looked in the mirror at myself and felt the places where I'd been hurt. The head wound was gone, the gun shot wound was gone and the blood had washed away down the drain. I pulled on some clothes and realized there was more than two heartbeats in the house. I panicked for a moment. Nathan was supposed to be downstairs and the heartbeat I heard was just on the other side of the door but it was calmer. I took a deep breath and realized who the scent was. I opened the bathroom door and my room was dark with the exception of the sun about an hour from rising.

Scott sat on my bed motionless, head down and sniffling. I knelt down in front of him and saw he'd been crying. I wiped his tears away and pulled the sheets down on my bed before pulling him to his feet. He had apparently changed clothes already so I just helped him out of his shoes before dragging him over to the bed. The moment I got him settled I wrapped my arms around him tightly. He let out a sob and I just stroked his back letting him get it all out. Matt was wrong when he said we should be more grateful for the abilities we had. Some wounds couldn't be healed by rapid healing. Sometimes we were just broken unable to be put back together.


	12. Safe and Sound

I sat at the metal table in the attic with my hands locked together in front of me as I thought back to the meeting I had with Deaton this morning.

_"If you commit to this Maggie, you'll have to start right away. I can teach you to mask your scent from Scott and the others. Have you figured out what you're going to tell them?" Deaton asked firmly._

_"I'm going to tell them that I'm going away with Nathan but I want Nathan to know the truth. He deserves that much. He needs to know how to protect himself and you're going to help him with that. I'm not going to leave the others while the Kanima is still loose. We save Jackson and then I'll take off." I could feel the lump in my throat as I said the words. Deaton put his hand on top of my own._

_"You're doing the right thing Maggie. It's the only way you'll be able to keep them all safe." Deaton was trying to convince me but I just let out a breath before walking towards the door._

_"Somehow, I don't think they'll understand that."_

I snapped out of my thoughts as the wind blew through the window, flipping a page of one of the books I was reading. I had gotten the attic set up and Deaton had helped me seal it so outside threats couldn't enter or destroy any of books or artifacts that could help with learning more spells in the future. The place actually started to feel like a home but it was hard to put up pictures. Nathan didn't have tons of them but I had everything that Karen left which was quite a bit. We made sure to hang pictures of Karen and Louis downstairs, I put up a few of my mom, Evie, Caroline and Karen around the house but the few that I considered putting up in my room sat in a box. I don't know why I couldn't bring myself to hang them up but something just kept me from doing it. Scott had stayed the night after his mom pretty much went into a state of shock which earned me some confused and concerned looks from Nathan the next morning. I had to explain to him that Scott was harmless and that he was going through a really rough time but I promised to explain everything later. He stayed another night but promised to get back on his feet the next day. Once Scott took off, I'd gone straight to work with getting the attic finished up. My whole body felt exhausted but it seemed like every time I closed my eyes, I'd see Peter. He'd stare at me or talk sweetly like he was lull me to sleep but it kept me from getting any sleep at all. Danny had brought us some housewarming brownies and talked interior decorating and sailing with Nathan until I finally had to tell him that he was too old for him. Danny kept touching under my eyes and I knew I probably looked like a train wreck.

"Do teenagers get naps?" I looked to the door to see Nathan standing there.

"I'll be alright. I just didn't sleep well but I guess the plus side is I finished the attic." Nathan looked around and nodded his head with approval.

"Maybe Melissa could recommend something to help you sleep? Or do those sort of things work on you?" Nathan questioned.

"It's fine. Don't worry about it." I brushed it off but Nathan walked further into the room and took a seat opposite me at the table.

"You see, I can't do that. I've become a worrier. I never used to be but apparently being someone's parental guardian makes you that way." Nathan joked with a smile as he folded his hands to match mine.

"What's on your mind Kid? You've seemed kind of down since Deaton left." Nathan pointed out and for a moment I debated just spilling my guts about everything going on but instead I decided to catch him up with things. I pulled the first book out that Karen let me read when I found out what Scott was, stroking the front of it at the memory cascading over me.

"Deaton has agreed to help me learn more about what I am this summer so I guess I can't really tell you more about that until I learn but I can tell you about werewolves." Nathan's eyebrows went up.

"Werewolves...wow this place really is trippy." He ran his hand through his hair before settling forward on his elbows ready to learn. I spent the better part of the morning explaining to Nathan how werewolves came into the picture, how Peter bit Scott, how Derek killed Peter, the structure of packs and why Derek picked Isaac, Erica and Boyd. I even started to tell him the general history of the Argent's and how they aren't the only hunters out there. The more I talked, the more he seemed mind blown.

"Well it's no wonder that Jackson guy turned into a giant snake. Guy was a tool if I've ever seen one." Nathan commented as I explained what happened at the police station and how Matt was controlling him because of a vendetta against Isaac's father and the swim team that let him drown.

"Now we have to figure out who's controlling him before the Argent's try to kill him...or us. We weren't really planning on Matt turning up dead." I rubbed my forehead and Nathan shook his head.

"They can't really kill you though, right? I mean how does one kill a werewolf?" Nathan asked making me chuckle.

"There's a few ways but none of them are as hard as you'd think. Apparently killing me is kind of a process but I'm sure there are ways around it. If there is one thing I've learned, it's that nothing is ever really permanent." I explained seeing him take it all in.

"But you're all a bunch of teenagers. Someone can't possible kill a kid and just carry on with their day right?" Nathan questioned and I shook my head.

"Matt didn't drown in knee deep water. Someone had to hold him under. He kicked my ass and hurt people I love but I'd never wish death on him, not like that." I explained seeing Nathan's face turn to concern.

"Do you have any questions?" I pitched making him laugh off the serious turn our conversation took.

"About a million but I mean I have the general jest of it I think. I mean I don't know how I feel about you sharing a bed with Scott if he's a werewolf but that could also be because he's a guy as well." I had to laugh at Nathan. Out of all the things I just told him, he's worried about me sharing a bed with a guy.

"Trust me, the last person you should worry about being in bed with me is Scott. That's just...no." I said shaking my head but he narrowed his eyes curiously.

"Oh really and just who should I worry about being in bed with you first?" Nathan asked as tires started down the gravel driveway. He got up and glanced out of the window but I already knew it was Stiles just by his scent.

"It's Stiles." We both said at the same time. He glanced back at me before touching his temple with his finger.

"Ah wolfie sense. Got it. Looks like you're off the hook for now." I smiled at him before we both walked out of the attic. Nathan opened the front door and waited for Stiles to walk into the house before shutting it.

"I brought Maggie's car back from the station. The place looks good." Stiles said looking around.

"Yeah well I've lived on a boat for the past few years. I'm not Martha Stewart." Nathan smiled.

"I was actually being sincere-" I cut Stiles off with a snort.

"You totally weren't but it's okay. I think it's homely enough for the both of us." I looked at Nathan and he shook his head.

"It's okay man, I get your resistance with me." Nathan patted Stiles on the arm.

"It's nothing personal man, I'm just protective of her and I don't really know you." Stiles admitted easing back on the intensity a bit.

"Understandable. You should stay for dinner. You can ask me whatever you want. I could probably use your help with some of this supernatural stuff anyway." Nathan pointed at Stiles and cut his eyes at me mouthing werewolf.

"No Stiles is human. We'll be upstairs, just yell if you need something." Stiles eyes went wide but I grabbed his arm and started to pull him towards my room.

"You told him? Are you sure that's a good idea?" He asked as I shut the door to my room.

"He needs to know these things." I said simply.

"Why? Why does he need to know?" Stiles was freaking out.

"He already knows about witches, he needs to know what I am and obviously I can't tell him I'm a Werewitch without telling him werewolves exist too. I'm handling it okay?" I put my hands out but Stiles shook his head.

"But we barely know what you are. I just think it's a bit early on in this arrangement to go telling him all our secrets. I mean my dad doesn't even know." Stiles pointed out.

"Your dad doesn't know, Scott's mom just found out and I just gave Nathan a crash course. Did he seem like he was on the verge of losing it just now when he invited you to stay for dinner to get to know him?" I asked seeing Stiles pull a face. He conceded by putting his hands up and sitting down on Maggie's bed.

"So how are you settling in? The room looks almost exactly like the one in your old house." Stiles commented pulling the box full of pictures towards him.

"That was the idea. It actually feels like a place I can call my own but the attic is probably where I've spent most of my time. Deaton was here this morning helping me set up protection barriers for everything." I explained sitting down next to him. Stiles looked through the pictures and frowned when he looked at the one with Scott in it.

"I haven't really talked to him since that night. How's he holding up?" Stiles asked looking over at me.

"He stayed here a couple nights since his mom is pretty much hiding out in the house but he's doing the best he can I guess. Have you heard anything of Allison?" I asked in return but he shook his head.

"She's not really talking to anyone. She's taking her mom's death pretty hard but that's to be expected. I would advise Derek to take a long vacation." Stiles said raising his eyebrows.

"I haven't actually heard or seen anything of him since that night. He asked me not to contact him though so I guess he's probably keeping a low profile." Stiles put his hand on my knee.

"If the Argent's want his head then he's probably laying low to keep you safe. He'll be fine. If there's one guy I know that can go through the ringer and make it out alive, it's Derek." Stiles tried to soothe my fears.

"How's your dad doing? I can't imagine all the mess he's got to clean up because of the Matt thing." I watched Stiles tense.

"He's kinda just thrown himself into the case. We haven't really talked much." Stiles rubbed the back of his neck and cleared his throat trying to change the subject as quickly as possible.

"Why haven't you put any of these up yet?" Stiles pulled one of the pictures out.

"Thing's are going to get better with your dad. He just needs time to clean up the mess. You guys went through a lot that night." He looked over at me with a scrunched face.

"You were shot, if you remember correctly. I think we all went through a lot that night." Stiles said incredulously.

"I just know it's different for you because your dad got really close to things we've been trying to protect him from." I pointed out. Stiles let out a sigh before closing his eyes.

"I know you're trying to help but can we...not talk about what happened? Or my dad? Or anything that might send me into a panic attack?" He chuckled hopeful and I got up from the bed.

"Fine, no talking but you can help me hang those pictures up. It's time I put my own personal touch on the room." I smiled at him and he got up putting the box on my bed. We went through half the box before lying down on my bed and exchanging memories and laughing. It felt good to just be there with Stiles, hearing his laugh and seeing him smile. I absentmindedly ran my finger along his jaw making him look up at me.

"It's good to see you smile. It always makes me feel better." I admitted only making him smile more.

"Well I guess that's good to know. I'm glad my face can inspire positive feelings." Stiles teased.

"You know, we still could talk about the whole rain check date thing. I was kind of thinking maybe after the championship game coming up. I figured if we win, it could be a celebration of sorts." Stiles propped himself up on his elbow.

"And what if you lose?" I cocked my eyebrow at him.

"Well then the best part of my night will be going out with you. I mean it's kind of a win-win either way." I couldn't help but smile and he pointed at my face.

"I guess we both have smiles like that huh?" He put his hand on top of mine and let his thumb stroke the top of my knuckles. I couldn't help but hold his gaze as he smiled softly. Nathan's voice from downstairs bellowing about dinner made me jump slightly. Stiles cleared his throat and we walked downstairs to see Nathan had already set up the table with mismatched plates and glasses ranging in sizes.

"Wow you went fancy. Stiles, you should be flattered." I joked earning a grin from Nathan.

"I didn't pack the dishes Kid, I just unpacked them." Nathan reminded me that Karen had actually packed the dishes.

"So I know you like worked or lived on a boat before settling down here, are you like a fisherman or something?" Stiles asked helping me get things out of the refrigerator to put on the table as Nathan brought a plate of cheeseburgers in from the grill.

"I could throw a few hotdogs out there if you want but I couldn't remember if Maggie said you were the healthy eater or your dad was the healthy eater." Nathan pointed at Stiles and he looked over at me.

"Cheeseburgers are fine. Kinda thought we'd be eating fish or something, you know since you lived on a boat and all that for so long." Stiles said. Nathan sat down between Stiles and I as we sat across from one another.

"Have you ever lived off of the ocean? It's not as awesome as it seems. Just being on land for longer than a week and I'm addicted to red meat. It's probably going to take me out." Nathan joked.

"You actually plan to stick around for a while?" I kicked Stiles under the table and he jumped.

"I settled the business I had while Maggie stayed with you and Scott. I'll be using the boat for more local jobs but yes I'll be sticking around." Nathan confirmed as Stiles leaned down to rub his leg.

"So Maggie told you about everything that goes on here in Beacon Hills? Witches, werewolves, homicidal lizards and psychotic hunters and yet you seem pretty laid back about it. Why is that? Normal people would have run for the hills. What makes you different?" Stiles tone was testing and I kicked him again.

"OW! Stop kicking me!" He gritted through his teeth.

"Stop being rude." I gritted right back.

"You're right, normal people would have run for the hills but I could ask you the same questions Stiles. You're a human. You don't have people hunting you because of what you are and you heal like I would but you're always on the front lines, protecting Maggie and helping Scott." Stiles held Nathan's gaze.

"They're my best friends, of course I'm going to help them no matter what." Stiles defended.

"Well Maggie's the only family I've got left. I knew what Louis married into and to be completely honest, I've stayed in stranger places than Beacon Hills. You should try Haven, Maine. Talk about supernatural hub." I wasn't sure if Nathan was teasing or not but he seemed to be genuine.

"I wasn't exactly the best son my parents could ask for. I got into a lot of trouble when I was younger, drove my mom out of her mind with worry and my dad basically thought I was useless. But Louis never gave up on me. He helped me out when my dad refused to help me. Home doesn't always have to be a place, it can be a person too. Louis was what I considered home." Nathan's voice got somber quickly when talking about Louis.

"The point is, you don't know me and you don't trust me but I don't know you either. The only thing we have in common is wanting to protect Maggie. I'm just a 37 year old fishermen who has yet to really had a purpose or major responsibility but I loved my brother more than anything. His dying wish was that I take care of Maggie like he took care of me because apparently we're kindred spirits. I don't want anything from her, I don't have an angle or a motive. I just want to be there for her." Nathan never looked away from Stiles and I listened to his heartbeat as he talked. It wasn't out of paranoia, I just had my doubts that Nathan actually wanted to be stuck with me but after not hearing one blip of lies, I reached out and put my hand on his arm.

"I...I didn't know." Stiles said chewing on his bottom lip.

"You seem like a good guy Stiles. Maggie obviously means a lot to you and from what she tells me, the feeling is mutual." Stiles finally looked over at me.

"She trusts you and I trust her when she says you're a stand up guy. Hopefully some day, that will go both ways." Nathan said finally picking up his burger and taking another bite. There was a few moments of silence before Nathan actually spoke up again.

"So Maggie tells me that you've got a big lacrosse game coming up. Is that like the town sport?" Stiles seemed to lighten up once the conversation turned to him. I was thankful for that.

"Yeah we do track in the off season to stay in shape but I'm a pretty fast runner anyway." Stiles explained glancing at me.

"Yeah right. You can barely stay on your feet." I said before putting my glass to my lips. Stiles stared at me in mock offense.

"Don't be jealous because I'm more agile than you." Stiles furrowed his eyebrows making me laugh.

"You can barely get out of the jeep without flailing and you want to try and say you actually run faster than me?" I challenged.

"Minus your abilities? Yes I totally can out run you." Stiles challenged right back.

"I'm actually going to go with Stiles on this one. He's taller than you so his strides would be longer." Nathan pointed out and I snapped my eyes towards him.

"Seriously? I hate tall people." I shook my head making them both laugh.

"Don't be like that, at least your short legs are cute." Stiles wiggled his eyebrows at me behind his glass and Nathan looked between us. Conversation ranged from trouble Scott, Stiles and I had gotten into as kids and now, how Stiles and I were doing in school, all the way to what we'd learned from Scott being bitten and me changing. Nathan seemed to absorb the information that Stiles explained and I could see a weight being lifted off of Stiles as he talked to Nathan. I knew it bothered him that his dad had to be in the dark but it was nice to see him able to talk about with someone.

After dinner we moved out to the porch to watch some of the boats on the water.

"Alright, I've got some paperwork to finish for the tavern. Don't wait too late before taking him home." Nathan pointed at me before sticking his hand out for Stiles to shake.

"Stiles, good times were had. Don't be a stranger." Nathan gave Stiles a firm handshake and Stiles stood up.

"Good times were indeed had. Thanks for having me over." Nathan gave me a side smile before walking inside and pulling the sliding door shut behind him. I got up and walked over to the banister of the deck and leaned on it staring at the water.

"I'll admit, this place isn't so bad. Great view, good vibes. It's actually really relaxing." Stiles admitted and I cut my eyes at him.

"And Nathan isn't as horrible as I thought he'd be...he seems cool." Stiles rolled his eyes.

"I can feel how much more at ease you are now that you know he's not secretly trying to harvest my organs." I said nudging his shoulder.

"Hey I'm not just going to let some random guy take my girl-" I cut him off.

"Your girl?" I cocked my eyebrow at him and he flustered almost instantly.

"My girl...friend...my best friend that's a girl...you know what I mean." Stiles looked away from me and I could tell he was embarrassed. I sat down on the deck swing and patted the empty space next to me for Stiles to sit down.

"I'm still going to worry. I mean after all the things that have happened since you've come home, I don't think I'll ever not worry." Stiles leaned his head back and turned to look at me as I pulled my feet up underneath me. He let his legs push back and forth on the deck so we would actually swing.

"I don't want you to worry about me. There's too much going on for you to live holding your breath." I leaned my head back mimicking his.

"I'm going to worry about you and Scott and my dad and Lydia and Allison...hell I worry about Derek some days but I draw the line at his betas." Stiles said making me smirk.

"I don't think you've really given them a fair shake." I said seeing him huff.

"Let's see, Erica assaulted me with car parts, Isaac tried to kill me twice and Boyd...well I guess Boyd hasn't really done anything horrible to me but I get a vibe that he had like premeditated hatred for me." Stiles squinted his eyes and I thought back to the morning we found out Erica was turned.

"He was worried that if we started dating, I wouldn't have time to be his friend anymore. He was pretty much the only person giving me the time of day when I first came home." I explained seeing Stiles look interested.

"When did he think we were dating?" Stiles questioned.

"That awful trip to the ice rink." I said seeing Stiles nod.

"Yeah that date was kind of a flop." Stiles cringed.

"I wouldn't call that a date. The actual date was a flop." I said making Stiles shift uncomfortably.

"Well that's not our fault, I mean we didn't actually get around to the date part. I mean I haven't really been on a legit date but I imagine they go a lot better than that." I looked down at my hands before biting my lip.

"Maybe that's a sign. Maybe that's fate trying to tell us something." I glanced up at him cautiously and he sat up.

"Maybe we just have really horrible timing." I could feel his eyes on me and his anxiety growing.

"So is that a no on the date for after the game? I mean I know we have a lot going on but we deserve a night off." Stiles swallowed hard and I rested my head on his shoulder trying to get the smell of his fear to subside.

"Let's just enjoy the time we have right now okay?" Stiles rested his head on top of mine as we continued to swing. I waited for his body to slack long enough to know he wasn't afraid of the conversation we had been having before relaxing myself. I had no idea how I was going to tell Stiles about leaving again. I couldn't just leave and not tell him again. That didn't work out at all last time and he deserved more than just me disappearing. I lost track of time and got a text from Nathan about how late it was getting.

"I should get you home. Nathan's worried I'll be too tired to drive and I don't want him to get too worried too quickly about pedestrian things." I leaned off of Stiles. I drove him to his house to see that John's car wasn't in the driveway.

"Yeah he'll probably be home in the morning to get a clean uniform. His office has a couch so..." Stiles trailed off. I frowned at him. I hated that even though the Sheriff got his job back that things still weren't right between him and Stiles.

"Are you going to be okay by yourself? We have a guest room." I offered but Stiles shook his head.

"Nah I'll be fine. I'll probably crash. I'm pretty tired." He lied. He opened the door but turned towards me with wide eyes.

"I almost forgot! Wait right here." Stiles bolted from the car and hurried into his house leaving the front door open. I waited only a few moments before he came running back out with something in his hands. I rolled the window down and he held up a black box.

"I'm almost afraid to ask." I took the box from him and looked inside.

"It's a walkie talkie. The frequency is like the ones my dad uses and before you ask, I didn't steal them." Stiles put his hand up like he was swearing an oath.

"I figured if you weren't going to be in the room next to mine, it might help to at least think you are. I marked the channel it's supposed to be on. When you get home, turn it on and hit me up so I know it works." Stiles explained making me feel an ache in my chest.

"You did this for me?" I asked smiling at home.

"It'd be a lie if I said that it was just for you. I did it for me too." Stiles shrugged.

"Drive safe and don't forget to let me know when you get there." Stiles said before walking back towards his house. I waited until he got inside before pulling out of his driveway and heading back home. It was strange to call it that but it felt right. Something inside of me felt like Beacon Hills would always be home no matter where I laid my head at night but for some being so close to the water calmed me. I liked being surrounded by the trees of the preserve and the water. I felt like I could breathe out here. I said goodnight to Nathan before going up to my room and setting up the walkie talkie, making sure to follow Stiles handwritten instructions. It was getting late but I knew he'd be freaking out if I didn't at least test it out.

"Testing testing...hopefully I'm doing this right." I said with my finger over the button. It was mere seconds before a laugh came through.

"Wow you'd make a terrible dispatcher." Stiles voice came through clearly and I smiled as I started to get ready for bed.

"Hey I never said I was good at this." I defended pulling my shirt over my head.

"Well I assume you got in okay. What are you doing now?" Stiles asked as I walked over to my dresser, making sure to pick up the walkie.

"I'm changing for bed. What about you?" I asked setting the walkie on the top of my dresser. This time Stiles didn't respond and I pulled my shirt over my head.

"Stop trying to picture me naked perv." I flopped down on my bed.

"I feel like I should ask you what you're wearing." Stiles chuckled.

"As if you descriptions. Your mind is a dangerous place to be and I'd prefer if you kept my clothes on in there." I turned over on my side and let out a breath.

"No promises. You going to bed now?" Stiles asked sounding almost needy.

"You can keep talking if you want as long as you aren't looking for heavy conversation." I hated that he was home alone. He could have probably come back to the house but Nathan probably already knew who landed on the inappropriate to have in bed with me list.

"I don't want to keep you up. I just wanted to tell you that I think you should really consider going on that date with me because I kind of started working on a 6 month plan for us." Stiles sounded nervous as he spoke and I smiled softly.

"6 month plan? Should I be worried?" I asked curiously.

"Actually yes. I have big plans for us, Mags. Don't give up on me just yet okay?" Stiles asked but it seemed more like a plea.

"Good night Maggie. Sweet dreams." Stiles said finally.

"Good night Stiles." I stared at the walkie talkie for a few moments before putting it back on the base next to my bed. This was going to hurt, there was no getting around it. What I really wanted to know was whether or not it would truly be worth it. It was harder to fall asleep tonight. All I could think about was leaving Stiles and him going back to hating me. I wouldn't have a good excuse this time. I'd be leaving on my own volition, whether it's to keep everyone safe or not. I couldn't help but feel like my mom had to make this very same sacrifice. She was great friends with both the Stilinski's and Melissa but she had to pack up and leave on a whim because of Peter. I tossed and turned for quite some time but when I leaned over to use the walkie, I jumped back in the bed at what I saw.

"You don't have to be afraid of me, you know." It was Peter standing by the open window. I blinked a few times and sat up in the bed.

"Wake up Maggie. Come on, it's just a dream." I rubbed my hand over my face but he remained rooted to the floor.

"Would it really be so horrible for me to be back? I mean from the looks of things, you could definitely use some help." He smirked.

"How could you possibly help me?" I asked incredulously.

"You're struggling with making a big decisions. The few moments that you were asleep you kept mumbling about your mother. Despite you thinking I'm the reasons she's gone, I'm not. I loved her very much." Peter moved towards me and I put my hand up signaling for him to stop.

"Why should I believe a single word you say? If you didn't kill Mom and Caroline and Evie then who did?" I pressed seeing him let out a sigh.

"I have my suspicions but I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt it wasn't me." I shook my head feeling a headache coming on.

"You really should give up on that crush for Stiles. He'll never understand how much pressure and responsibility it is just to be what you are. You don't have time to go on dates or vacations." Peter said picking up the picture of Stiles and I that was framed on the shelf.

"What part of my brain is dreaming up a version of you that feels it has the audacity to tell me how to live my life? I've been doing just fine without you for years. Keep your commentary to yourself and leave Stiles out of it." He laughed at me and I felt my fear turning to anger.

"You should really use that fire for something other than a lost cause." He sat the picture down rolling his eyes.

"Sound advice, it's too bad mom didn't have someone to tell her the same thing about you." His smiled faded instantly. I turned over quickly in the bed and started to chant to myself that it was just a nightmare, that he wasn't real. I kept remembering what Scott had said the night of Lydia's party. Derek killed Peter. He was gone. When I finally turned over, I was alone in the room. It was hard to sleep after that. By the time I got up and showered, my whole body felt drained. I walked into my room and almost out of my skin when I saw Peter standing there once more.

"Look I don't know why you're suddenly haunting me considering you killed me but it would be great if you could like…stop. Go into the light or whatever." I put my hand on my chest feeling how hard my heart was beating from the illusion.

"You seriously think I'd haunt you? You're my only daughter. I love you very much." The corner of his mouth twitched up into a smile as I stared blankly at him. Was my mind really that desperate for the love of my father? I felt pathetic and insanely delusional.

"You tried to rip my heart out of my chest…literally." I said feeling stupid for arguing with myself.

"Only to activate what you are. You were meant to be the-" I threw my hands up tired of dealing with the insanity I was inflicting on myself.

"I DIDN'T ASK FOR IT!" I shouted. The room grew silent and I could only hear myself breathing.

"Please get out of my head. You love me so much than do that for me." I said seeing him still standing there unmoved.

"I can see you aren't ready but you'll have to face the reality of the situation sooner or later and when you do, you should know that I am not the enemy." I kept my eyes on him for only a moment before closing them tightly and counting slowly. I let out the breath I was holding and opened my eyes to see he was gone once again. I shook my head and ran my hand through my hair.

"I'm losing my freaking mind." I said to no one particular.

"Meh sanity is vastly overrated." I jumped at the sound of Nathan's voice.

"Sorry I didn't mean to scare you. Just thought you should know Scott's here." Nathan stood in the door frame eyeballing me.

"You feeling okay? You seem kinda out of it." Nathan pinned his eyebrows together.

"Yeah I just didn't sleep that well. I have nightmares sometimes. It's no big deal." I shook my head trying to pass it off but he continued to eyeball me.

"Alright but if it gets worse than let me know." He offered as I followed him out of my room and out to the kitchen where Scott was waiting. He took one look at me and I knew he'd heard the conversation Nathan and I had.

"We're going to head the storage unit. I need to grab a couple of things. I'll see you later." I called to Nathan before Scott could question me in front of him. He waited long enough for us to get on the road before clearing his throat.

"You know, just because I'm going through stuff with my mom doesn't mean you can't talk to me about things that are going on with you right?" Scott kept his eyes on the road and I leaned my forehead on my hand feeling the lingering of the headache of last night setting back in.

"I'm just seeing things. I'm working on getting a handle on it." I said making him huff.

"You're- seeing things? Seeing things and having nightmares is like two very different things. What are you seeing?" Scott glanced over at me when I didn't answer.

"Can't I just be crazy on my own? Why do I have to share it with you?" I asked growing increasingly annoyed.

"Is it Peter? Are you seeing Peter?" I knew my heartbeat gave it away even though I hadn't looked at Scott.

"He's dead Maggie. Derek ripped his throat out. He buried him on the Hale property. Whatever you're seeing, it's not real. He can't hurt you ever again." Scott touched my hand.

"He talks to me. It all feels real but I know it's not. It's just...he didn't kill them Scott. My mom? Evie and Caroline, if he didn't do it then who did?" I explained and Scott parked the car.

"How can you be sure it wasn't him? I mean just because he says it wasn't him doesn't mean it wasn't. You said you remembered seeing him there." Scott reminded me.

"My mom kept talking about him like he could be redeemed because he was my father, Caroline said not to trust him but Karen said it wasn't him that went after the others. They said it would be too dangerous to look for answers so maybe he's telling the truth." I looked over at Scott and he shook his head.

"He's not real Maggie. Real was him shoving his hand into your chest. What was real was watching you fight for your life in the hospital. I'm real, Stiles is real, Derek is real and we're going to be there no matter what." Scott squeezed my hand this time trying to reassure me but I just didn't feel like he was understanding me.

"Scott, something is coming. I can feel it in my bones like a deep ache from an old injury. The Argent's are going to come for Derek and I, Jackson is still missing, for some reason I'm seeing my dead father and who knows what other outside threats are lurking. I'm in no way prepared for a war, do you get that?" Scott let go of my hands and frowned.

"But we'll protect you." He almost looked saddened that he had to say it like I didn't already know they'd die for me.

"I'm tired of people I love dying to protect me. I want to protect myself for once. I'm not weak. I'm done pretending to be." Scott looked a bit surprised but he nodded his head seemingly understanding that I'd had enough. We got out of the car and walked over to the storage unit. I searched through the boxes for almost an hour before Scott reminded me that I was indeed capable of actually doing magic and I should try to use it in order to find what I was looking for. The ring shot out of one of the only boxes left unopened and hit Scott in the head.

"What's this for?" Scott asked as I held it in my hands.

"It's a protection amulet. I figured I'd give it to Erica for her birthday, keep her safe and well accessorized at the same time." I pocketed the ring before walking over to the box and sorting through it. I decided I wanted to take it and a few others with me to store in the attic. Scott helped me load up the car with a few other boxes before breaking the silence.

"I have a question but I don't want it to upset you." Scott shut the trunk and I cocked my eyebrow at him.

"I can't guarantee how I'll feel until I know what it's about." I said honestly.

"When you make a blood tie with someone...what happens to it when they die? I mean-" Scott looked worried and I cut him off.

"The one you made with Karen died with her. They only work if the witch casting it is still alive so you're fine." He looked confused as to how I knew but I just shrugged.

"Why haven't we ever made one?" I stopped walking and looked over the hood of the car at Scott.

"Why would we make one?" I asked curiously seeing him contemplating.

"I don't know. I guess I just like the idea of it, committing to something with blood. Kind of like blood brothers." Scott explained making me chuckle.

"You want me to be your blood brother?" I teased but Scott just rolled his eyes.

"You know what I mean. We're family and I don't know I guess I just don't want you to feel like you're alone. I know you want to be able to stand on your own two feet and I respect that. You've always been stronger than any of us. I guess I just want you to remember that no matter what happens, I am always going to be there for you." Scott's words almost made me feel like he already knew what I was planning to do. Something about talking to him had always made me feel like I could confide in him without judgement or repercussion but not this time. This time I don't think Scott would take my truth very well.

"Plus I may or may not be kinda jealous that Derek is actually blood related." Scott admitted pulling me from my thoughts to smile at him.

"You'll always be my brother from another mother, Scotty." I joked putting my hand on the roof of the car and he reached across putting his on top of mine.

"I'm serious. Just think about it." Scott said keeping his eyes on me. Scott and I got in the car and headed towards his house. He said he wanted to go the mall and get some clothes but when Isaac called me needing to talk, Scott nodded lightly.

"No word from Derek yet?" Scott asked making me shake my head.

"Go ahead and head back. Isaac sounded worried and if Derek is trying to stay in the dark from his betas too it's probably to protect them. I'll just head home and see if maybe mom will want to go with me instead. Can't hurt to keep trying, right?" Scott put his hands in his pockets and I frowned at him.

"She'll come around Scott. I was skeptical about werewolves too and I already knew witches existed." Scott shook his head at me.

"What made you come around?" Scott questioned. I put my hand on his face and smiled.

"My love for you." I said honestly. He gave me a slight smile before kissing my forehead and running off. I knew he would picking running opposed to me just dropping him off. Running seemed to clear his head these days but I just hoped Melissa would come around sooner rather than later. Scott dreaded having to have his mom find out but I honestly thought it was for the best.

I turned off the road and parked the car in the driveway to see Nathan standing on the deck fishing.

"I thought Isaac was here?" I asked looking around.

"Yeah he's not a very social guy so I told him he could go inside and watch TV if he wanted. Kind of a strange one." Nathan said pulling a face.

"You know he can hear you right? Werewolves have heightened hearing." I reminded him but he shrugged.

"I think he knows he's strange but I guess I'm sorry." I shoved Nathan's shoulder and walked into the house to see Isaac sitting on the couch.

"So your uncle thinks I'm weird. That's always refreshing." Isaac rolled his eyes at me and I laughed.

"Oh you know you're a little weird. I like you weird." I ruffled his hair and he got up from the couch to follow me into my room.

"You smell like Scott. I didn't mean to interrupt. I know you're helping him with his mom." Isaac shoved his hands in his pockets.

"He was cool with it but I am very proud of you both for being so cordial about one another. It's very sweet of you to care." I smiled at Isaac seeing him let out a sigh at the sudden compliment.

"Don't get your hopes up. I'm not going to start having sleepovers with him or trading comic books. I'm just trying to play nice." Isaac corrected me and I nodded my head at him.

"Don't kill my vibe Lahey." I gestured for him to follow me to the attic and he did without question. His eyes went wide as he looked at everything, being careful not to touch anything that could potentially cause him harm.

"Wow you've really settled in here. I thought maybe you'd resist since you've started working things out with Stiles." I cocked an eyebrow and turned to look at Isaac.

"Well that was subtle." I walked over and sat across from Isaac at the table in the center of the room as he paced.

"It's true isn't it? I didn't have to be at the station to know something happened between you two." Isaac danced around sitting across from me.

"Yeah heavy emotional trauma and about 10 grand worth of property damage. Not really a love kindling moment." I rested my arms on the table.

"It is when it comes to Stiles." I was caught off guard by Isaac's comment. He rubbed at the back of his neck and sat down in front of me.

"I guess I kind of always knew things wouldn't really work out between us, I just figured maybe I had a shot." Isaac admitted.

"Where is this coming from? I mean I thought things were actually going really well considering all the really intense things that have been going on." I shook my head feeling slightly like I was being broken up with even though we weren't technically together.

"I know you care about me and I know I care about you but I just get this feeling the way you care about me and the way you care about Stiles are very different." Isaac kept his eyes on me and I tried not to give too much away with my face.

"You don't have to explain anything. I mean I wouldn't say it's your fault or anything. Maybe we just have bad timing." Isaac smiled as he shrugged. I smiled softly at him feeling comforted by how sweet he was being about the whole thing.

"You're being very cavalier about all this. What's going on?" I asked curiously.

"I just want you to know that I want you in my life any way I can have you. I don't want to screw anything up." Isaac frowned and I reached across the table to take his hand.

"You aren't going to screw anything up. I'm here for you. What's brought all this on?" I asked now concerned as to why Isaac was questioning losing me. I knew there was no way Deaton would tell anyone about my departure so Isaac couldn't know yet.

"I think Erica and Boyd are going to take off and look for another Alpha." I tilted my head sideways surprised.

"Why do you think that?" I asked making Isaac's eyes bigger for a moment.

"Because I heard them talking about taking off to find another Alpha." He confessed. I let out a sigh and felt Isaac's eyes fall on me taking in my reaction.

"You aren't mad?" He seemed surprised.

"How can I be mad? They're trying to do what's best for them. I can't fault them for that." I had kept in touch with Erica and Boyd the moment Derek went AWOL just to make sure they were okay. They promised to visit me in the new house but I could tell every time I talked to either of them, they were a bit put off by Derek's sudden disappearance.

"But we're supposed to be a pack. How could you be cool with them leaving?" Isaac pulled his hand out of mine almost hurt but I stood up quickly walking around the table.

"You don't have to be a pack to be a family. We'll always be a family and if it makes you feel better, I'll never leave you." I said firmly putting my hand on his cheek. He huffed out a breath and leaned into my touch.

"Says the girl with Find Your Escape painted on the wall." Isaac glanced over at the wall and I hit his arm before wrapping my arms around him.

"I promise, I will always be there for you when you need me." I tightened my arms around him feeling him rub my back and hug back firmly. When I pulled away, I went to rummage in the bag I carried in. I pulled out the ring I had gotten for Erica from storage and put it on the table.

"I'm flattered but I'm not much of a ring guy." Isaac said leaning on the table.

"It's for Erica's birthday. It's a protection ring but if you really think she's going to take off then I'll put a tracker spell on it so we'll always be able to find her." I started to pull things from other shelves and drawers and Isaac looked surprised.

"You can do that?" He questioned making me smirk.

"I can do a lot of thing's. Watch and learn, grasshopper." I teased. Isaac sat with me the whole time as I charmed the ring for Erica and even suggested I make a few others for him, Boyd and even Derek for when he takes off like he does. I felt comforted knowing that he was interested in my abilities as a witch. Eventually we went back outside and brought in the rest of the haul from the storage unit. I showed Isaac where things were supposed to go and what he could and couldn't touch because of being a werewolf. He tested the boundaries a few times but was quickly shut down by protection spells that cut his hands pretty deeply. He didn't test them much after that.

"I thought you said you didn't really have a handle on all this yet. You seem to be able to handle all this rather well now." Isaac commented as we finished different pieces of jewelry on the table. I made sure to make at least 20 different protection articles with trackers in them.

"I've been doing a lot of reading. I figured the only way to really get ahead of this is to have a kick ass defense and a back up plan." I explained. Isaac nodded as if her agreed.

"What about for the people that don't wear jewelry? I mean this one is really cool but I'm not really a ring kind of guy." Isaac held up the ring with the lightening bolt on it.

"The lightening bolt represents swiftness in the Native American culture. You are pretty fast on your feet." I held the ring to his wrist and he jumped slightly before holding his wrist up to see the lightening bolt was now scarred into his skin.

"Whoa...that's pretty...wow. It didn't even hurt." The scar disappeared quickly and he frowned.

"It's still there, just under the skin. There is some magic that can penetrate beyond that of wolf healing. You can keep the ring if you want, just in case. It's kind of a fail safe." I shrugged as Isaac pocketed the ring.

"What about the rest of these? Why'd we make so many?" Isaac picked up a few of the others, running his fingers across them.

"There's a lot of people I need to protect. I'm not going to leave people I care about out in the open to get hurt." I explained.

"These will go to Boyd and Erica's families. The rest, I'll give out accordingly." I started to make piles and Isaac held up the crossed arrows pendant necklace.  
He gave me a pointed look that I just brushed off.

"You can't be serious. Maggie, the Argent's will kill you on the spot." Isaac started freaking out but I shook my head.

"All I need her to do is touch it. She just lost her mother, think about how hard that is and remember that Scott loves her. We were close once, I'd never let a feud that started between our families erase that." I explained seeing his hesitation.

"What if someday your family feud pits you two against each other? What if it comes down to saving Scott or saving her? Will you feel like she needs protection then?" Isaac question making me think about the exchange in the police station. I could see the coldness and pain her eyes. I knew that feeling. After losing mom, I felt like I couldn't take anymore loss. Caroline and Evie were hard enough but losing my mom in such a savage manner broke me. I went through a period of bitterness that struck right through to my core. I wanted justice, vengeance, blood. I wanted to rage and take it out on the person responsible. That's what Allison was going through right now and it was hard to look at her and see an enemy knowing I was once her, to know that there was a small piece of me that will always carry that rage.

"We're all kids, Isaac. Whether we want to recognize it or not. All of us are just teenagers fighting to survive. It shouldn't be like this. Supernatural or not, it shouldn't be like this. I'm going to do whatever I can to protect people because I don't want to be a killer like my father." I said firmly seeing him shift on his feet finally understanding me. I could sense the arrival of more people before I actually saw them coming down the gravel driveway. I gathered up the charms to give to Erica and Boyd before pulling Isaac behind me. As we reached the front door, Nathan was talking to Erica and Boyd.

"Hey Kid, Boyd here says he'll happily help with cleaning these fish if you want to have a fish fry for lunch. Sound good to you?" Nathan held up a bucket of fish he'd caught.

"I'm not cleaning fish but I'm all for food." Erica smiled brightly making me laugh.

"You would be." Isaac teased earning a shove from Erica.

"Sounds good to me." I clapped my hands together. Isaac and Erica stayed inside with me to set the table and make some sides to go with the fish. Isaac wanted french fries and Erica wanted mashed potatoes so we ended up making both.

"I don't know why but I really like this place. I think it suits you." Erica sat on the counter as I cut up vegetables and she snagged a few before I put them in the saucepan.

"Yeah we know you Hales like your isolation." Isaac nudged as he skinned potatoes. Erica beamed a carrot at him.

"No I think out here away from all the things and people that you are constantly being bombarded by-" I cut Erica off.

"No one bombards me. You know I love you guys." I pressed but she huffed.

"Between us, Shaggy and Scooby, Derek and all the people trying to kill us- I'd say you're slightly bombarded. I think this place gives you neutral ground. You can have your own space and really breathe out here. I like it." Erica crunched another carrot in her mouth.

"Plus your uncle is pretty hot in like a Johnny Depp pirate kind of way." Erica added. Nathan moved towards the window that had been open the whole time so they could pass us things to put on the table.

"Thank you...I think." Nathan squinted. I couldn't help but laugh and take note of Boyd's disdain from outside as he continued to maintain the grill.

"So how are things going with the others? I heard Scott's mom found out." Erica asked.

"I guess she's taking it as well as to be expected for someone who had no idea about the supernatural world." I shrugged.

"Not everyone can be as accepting as Nathan, can they?" Isaac smirked making Nathan come back to the window.

"Don't try to butter me up now. I still think you're a weirdo." He pointed a spatula at Isaac and he rolled his eyes while Erica tried to suppress a laugh.

"She was always really sweet to me. I hope it works out for them." Erica said hopeful. Boyd walked in with the first plate of food and glanced at Erica.

"How about you get off the counter and actually help." He probed making Erica scrunch her face up mockingly.

"I am helping!" She jumped down and stirred the mashed potatoes on the stove.

"Have you heard anything from Derek yet?" Boyd questioned and I could tell he was worried.

"He sent me a text not to worry but it's Derek. He's either planning something crazy or sulking. I just don't know which to hope for at this point." Nathan walked in just in time for me to end the conversation there. I didn't want them to worry about Derek.

We all sat down at the table and explained to Nathan how we all met. They seemed slightly hesitant at first with Nathan only because he was really the first adult outside of Derek and Deaton that they could talk openly to. It was nice to watch Nathan listen to them and give them someone to get reassurance from. It was honestly the most relaxed I'd seen Erica, Boyd and Isaac since this whole thing started. Nathan had told them they were all welcome at the house anytime and even offered jobs for them to help out at the tavern. Boyd actually seemed interested until Erica cut her eyes at him and it grew tense.

"Can I talk to you...in private?" Erica cleared her throat looking at me. I looked over at the boys before standing.

"Since Erica's birthday just passed, you boys clean up." I said taking Erica's hand.

"It was like last month!" Isaac argued earning a shove from Boyd.

"Sucks to suck!" Erica stuck her tongue out at him before following me up the stairs. I could feel her anxiety as she paced in my room.

"What's going on?" I asked her sitting down prepared to hear what she had to say. She let out a heavy sigh and laced her hands together.

"A lot's been going on lately, what with Jackson killing everyone and now the Argent's gunning for Derek and anyone close to him...I'm pretty freaked out. I mean when he came back to the railcar talking about how you almost died, I honestly didn't know what to do. You're like our rock, without you what hope do we really have, you know?" I could tell she was trying to build towards breaking the news to me.

"Boyd and I have been considering other options. We're too young to be cheating death every day. We aren't as strong as you and Derek. I wish we were but we just aren't." I reached out and took Erica's hand pulling her to sit down next to me on my bed.

"Erica, it's okay." I said rubbing her hand. She kept her eyes on me and looked uneasy. I reached over and pulled her gift off the table handing it to her.

"It's not much but happy birthday." I smiled at her as she took the box and slowly opened it. Her face softened as she pulled the ring out of the box.

"It's beautiful Maggie...thank you." She slipped it on her finger and I muttered the incantation.

"No matter what, I will always be here for you. That will never change." I said giving her hand a squeeze. Erica wiped tears from her eyes and hugged me tightly. I felt Erica's fear and uncertainty burning through my stomach and I just held her until it subsided with comfort and love. When I finally pulled away I wiped her running mascara off her face.

"I'm sorry I missed your birthday. I know this doesn't make up for it but-" She cut me off with a wide smile.

"It's okay, I spent it with my boyfriend." She wiggled her eyebrows at my surprised face just as Boyd walked in bashfully.

"We've been keeping it kind of a secret for a while but Erica got tired of hiding. I guess we should thank you since you introduced us technically." Boyd shrugged making me cover my open mouth.

"Are you kidding me? I deserve all the credit. I'm so happy for the both of you." I pulled them both into a hug and laughed. We had been face with such death and destruction, this was truly the simple win I needed right now. Just know that two people could find love in such hard times gave me hope.

"Does Derek know?" I asked curiously making them side eye one another.

"He's been pretty MIA lately but I assume he knows. We just wanted you to know since you're the only mutual friend we have." Boyd explained but Erica hit his chest with the back of her hand.

"Bump that, we're family and we love you." Erica said holding her chin up proudly. I couldn't fight the smile on my face.

"To be fair, I knew like way before it even happened." Isaac spoke up from the doorway making us all look over at him.

"Well considering you kept butting in on our makeout sessions, I guess you would." Erica put her hand on her hip. I chuckled at the face he made.

"You were literally sitting next to me, making out." Isaac defended himself.

"A smart person would have left the room." Erica insisted as Boyd rubbed his face.

"Speaking of leaving the room, can we go somewhere else. All I smell is Scott and Stiles on your bed and it's really creeping me out." I knew I was blushing and Erica laughed.

"Someone's having puppy cuddles or a raging orgy." Erica mocked but Isaac quickly cut her off.

"Let's go to the attic please...or the roof so I can jump off. Anywhere to escape this conversation." Isaac mumbled as we walked up to the attic. Boyd was the first one to check out the charms on the table.

"What are these?" Boyd asked making sure not to touch them.

"Protection charms. I guess it's a good thing I suspected you two were meant to be because I made you a matching dogtag." I tossed Boyd his charm and the moment he ran his thumb over it, I said the incantation. I knew they were already activated the moment they were touched but I had to be sure. I needed to stop doubting myself, I knew that but I couldn't take chances with the people I care d about. I held the velvet bags up to both of them.

"If any of you are planning to take off, I want you to make sure these are with your families. They'll be protected." I explained seeing all three of them look at me like I'd just spoke of the elephant in the room.

"Thing's aren't going to get better without getting much worse first. It's probably better if you guys take off for awhile anyway. I have a lot of things I need to take care of in a really short time frame. Whatever is about to happen, with Jackson, with the Argent's...I want you all to stay out of it. You want to help me, you'll take cover so I can use these freaking super powers to blow the roof of this shit." They stood silently for a few moments before Boyd nodded his head.

"You know when we talked to Derek, he told us to think long and hard about our decision, said we'd make rash decisions and regret them." He admitted making me sigh. That was definitely Derek.

"You should think long and hard about it. It's not a decisions you should make lightly but Derek is also operating under the idea of you all protecting me." I pointed out.

"We should be protecting you, though." Isaac spoke up and I shook my head.

"I'm strong, I can feel it. The power that I feel now is growing now that I'm not trying to stifle either side of it. I can protect myself so I'm telling you, as my family...protect yourselves any way you need to." I put one hand on top of Isaac's and one on top of Erica and Boyd's as they rested on the table top laced together. Before the three of them left, I tasked them with dropping protection charms off at the station, hospital and a few other places including Danny's house, Lydia's house and the school. I trusted they'd be stealth enough to sneak them in without getting caught and made sure they promised to text me once they were home safe. I walked over to the deck and saw Nathan doing yoga.

"Hey I told Isaac he could crash in the guest room so if he shows back up try not to keep calling him a weirdo." I said making him laugh and lose balance.

"The three musketeers leave?" He asked regaining his position. I nodded at him.

"You know, if you like did a combination of Derek's pack and Scott's packed you could probably have a hell of a dream team. I mean I know you said Allison hates you right now and Red is kinda on the fence but if one can fight and the other is super smart, it could work." Nathan suggested making me roll my eyes.

"You make it sound so easy." I sat down across from him and he settled on the ground crossing his legs.

"Maybe you just over-complicate it. I've spent a few days with you and met a good portion of your friends and I'm pretty sure I could weed them into categories." Nathan said confidently as I raised my eyebrows.

"This will be interesting. Go for it." I challenged. Nathan rested his elbows on his knees and let out a sigh.

"Okay so Danny's the intelligent gay one, Erica's the fierce, take no shit one and Boyd's kind of like an M&M, hard shell but sweet on the inside. You play the hot/cold game with Lydia and Allison so I'm going to chalk that up to undecided." Nathan waved his hand around at the mention of Allison and Lydia and I laughed.

"You are completely out of your mind but I'm oddly intrigued to hear more." I admitted.

"Now Scott and Derek are the obvious big brothers, always protecting you and bumping heads to try to out do one another. Scott's a bit more open but Derek clearly hates everyone else who tries to get close to you thus his disdain towards me." Nathan continued.

"Considering our family history, Derek's pretty much earned the right to be insanely overprotective." I frowned slightly but Nathan's smile grew.

"It's funny you mention history because that brings me to Isaac and Stiles. You've clearly been head over heels for Stiles for most of your life but I get really…dare I say intimate vibes from Isaac as well." Nathan squinted at me and I felt immediately flustered by the accusation. I honestly didn't realize how obvious the ridiculous triangle I found myself in was. I felt myself blushing but couldn't think of anything to say.

"Psh. Pftt. Wh-" I sputtered out and Nathan just smirked.

"Your silence speaks volumes, Kid." Nathan chuckled as my phone started beeping.

**Text from Scott:**  
 _Can you pick me up? I kind of need to get out of here._

I texted Scott back quickly and got to my feet.

"Everything okay?" Nathan asked concerned and I pocketed my phone.

"Yeah Scott needs me. I'm guessing thing's didn't go well with his mom." I sighed starting to feel the day wear me down.

"Well I guess if he needs a place to stay I won't mind him staying in your room but just keep in mind you've told me on a number of occasions that Scott is like your brother and incest will really kinda ruin the way I look at you. Seriously, I will judge you." Nathan said making me chuckle as I walked past him patting his shoulder.

"Noted. Incest is a relationship ruiner. I'll be back in a little bit." I said shaking my head. I rubbed at my eyes as I got in the car and headed towards Scott's. When I pulled up to his house I could hear someone hurrying to get out the front door. I got out assuming someone was in trouble but saw it was Melissa rushing to leave. She spun around to see me standing just a few feet from her and froze.

"I know you're confused and scared but trust me, no one is as terrified as we are. You're his mother and you're running away from him like he's a monster." I said sadly seeing her fear etched across her face.

"Don't turn your back on him...not now, not like this because he would literally die to protect you. Don't-" Scott opened the door quickly and Melissa jumped.

"Maggie it's fine. Let's just go." Scott rushed towards the car and Melissa swallowed hard. I couldn't help but look at her with heavy disappointment. I turned my back and walked towards the car, pulling away before Melissa even moved a muscle from her front step. Scott let out a breath and looked over at me. I returned the gaze before reaching out and taking his hand. We rode in silence, first to stop and get him some tacos because I figured if he was going to be depressed, I'd at least get him his favorite food to binge on. Nathan had texted me letting me know he'd be down the way at the tavern interviewing potential staff so when Scott and I got back to the house we hung out in the living room. He kept looking around the house and I knew he could smell the others had been here under the linger smell of the fish fry that was starting to drive me crazy.

"Erica, Boyd and Isaac came by today. They're kind of running around confused with Derek being gone so I tried to ease their minds. They seemed to relax a bit." I explained and Scott nodded his head.

"You're kind of like a secondary alpha. The mama wolf." Scott joked.

"That's the last thing I wanna be. I just want the people I care about to be able to rest easy at night." Scott looked away from me and I nudged him with my foot. I crawled over to Scott on the couch and he put his arm around me.

"This is a nice hoodie." I said making him chuckle.

"Yeah well I guess I did some retail therapy. Allison had once said it was something Lydia made her do when we broke up. It didn't really help but I thought this was at least nice." Scott tugged on it and I rested my head on his arm.

"Have you heard back from Allison yet?" I asked changing the subject despite it being another bad topic.

"No I've tried reaching out but I guess I can understand why she wants to be alone. I mean the funeral was today so I guess I'll just give her space for now. I mean that's what I should do right? When Stiles mom died, he kind of did his own thing for the first few days but then he finally let me just hang around him. We didn't talk about it or anything, he just let me be there." Scott said recounting the sad memory. I thought back to what I did following my mom's murder and Scott gave my shoulder a squeeze.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be there to help you through your mom's death." Scott said sadly. I patted his chest knowing he had a good heart but the shape I was in after I lost my mom was something I wouldn't want Scott to see.

"I think she needs to work through it alone at first but she'll come to you when she's ready. You have a good heart to want to be there for her though and me." I said trying to provide some assurance. My mind started to drift to thoughts I wished it hadn't. I was worried that something would happen to Melissa and how devastated Scott would be. Beacon Hills was quickly becoming a single parent society and the last thing I wanted was for anyone else to die. Isaac and I were both orphans and I think that was actually something that drew me closer to him, made me want to protect him even more. I worried about all of them. That was the only reason I knew I had to learn to harness my abilities. I had the strength to protect the people I love now and I needed to use it.

"I want to show you something." I said suddenly making Scott nod curiously. He followed me up to the attic and his eyes caught sight of the charms.

"What are all these?" He asked reaching out to touch but retracting his hand realizing he didn't know what they were.

"They're protection charms. I made them to protect everyone. Your mom, the Sheriff, Nathan...Allison's family." Scott raised his eyebrows.

"Seriously?" He asked surprised.

"I sent Boyd, Erica and Isaac out of here to make sure there were some at the hospital, the station and the school. I want all of you to have one at home too okay?" Scott walked towards me with pinned eyebrows.

"Hey, what's wrong? Why are you freaking out?" Scott knew me too well. I took a deep breath and looked up at him.

"I can't be everywhere Scott. This is the only way I can make sure everyone has a life line, you know? Whatever Gerard plans to do, whatever happens with Jackson, I want you all to be okay. I'm not going to keep sitting on the sidelines while everyone I love dies or gets hurt. I'm in this and I'm not going to lose." I said firmly as Scott rubbed his hands up and down my arms trying to calm me down.

"It's going to-" I cut Scott off with a look. That's all it took for him to know that we were both kidding ourselves. I picked up the coin and handed it to Scott who took it and held it in his hand for a moment. It was long enough for me to do the incantation before I closed his hand around it.

"How about we take these to where they need to be tomorrow. You look exhausted." Scott touched my face and I leaned into his hand. He took my hand and led me back into my room. He was right, I was exhausted but I wasn't sure I could sleep with all the things on my mind.

"I thought hanging out with Stiles would make you stress less but it would appear that you're stressing more than ever." Scott said as he drug the arm chair I had in my room next to my bed as I plopped down on it.

"He gave me a walkie talkie so we could communicate no matter what but he's not sleeping much and I'm always afraid I'm going to catch him napping." I ran my hand over my face and Scott chuckled.

"Or jerking off." He joked making me throw a pillow at him.

"You know he still wants to go out on a date with me. I have no idea why but after all the stupid things that happened he still wants to test the waters." I said with a sigh.

"Why don't you seem more excited about that?" Scott asked.

"I just...I don't know anymore. There is just so much more going on, things much bigger than us. I just don't want to screw anything up and lose him." I confessed as Scott leaned his head back against the chair. He must not have been sleeping well at home because he looked like he might be able to go to sleep soon just sitting in the chair.

"You don't have to worry about that. You aren't going to lose Stiles." He said as his eyes started to slip closed. It was strange to watch Scott and Stiles sleep. They looked so much younger when they slept. It made me realize how young we all truly were, how much we'd all been through together. I decided that I would take off the night after the game. I didn't know what I was going to say to everyone but this week I planned to get my work for finals and send it in early. The more time I had to train, the better. I still had to talk to Nathan but my biggest fear was Scott and Stiles. Scott caught himself dozing and blinked a few times.

"Scott, do you think I'd ever do anything to intentionally hurt you guys?" I asked making him turn his head to look at me confused.

"What? Of course not. I know you better than anyone on this planet. Why would you ask me that?" Scott smiled rolling his eyes and I knew I had to stay guarded or else Scott would try and talk me out of leaving.

"I just feel a little…lost these days. I'm terrified that things will go back to how they were when I first came home." Scott managed to open his eyes more and he sat up slightly feeling my concern.

"Whatever is making you think that, you've got to know that no matter what happens, where we all end up, we'll face it together. It's us until the very end, okay?" I nodded at him and he let out a heavy sigh keeping his eyes on me.

"How about tonight, I hold you instead of you holding me. You look like you need a good ole Scotty Snuggle." Scott said with a chuckle.

"You have no idea." Scott was the first to get up from the chair and when I rolled off the bed he opened the blanket up that laid on the bottom of the bed, waiting for me to get comfortable before climbing in behind me, covering us both up before pulling me to his chest. I suddenly felt this huge weigh in my chest. I knew it was guilt and fear but I tried to push it away.

"I love you Scotty." I whispered in the silence.

"Always." Scott breathed into the back of my neck and I bit my lip to keep from getting upset. I held onto Scott so tightly trying to fall asleep but it didn't come for hours. When I finally did pass out, I couldn't help but dream of when Scott, Stiles and I were children. It was like I was watching us play in the backyard and I felt warm tears rolling down my face. Everything used to be so simple and pure. Everything was covered in darkness now. It was cold and rough and there was no relief in sight. When I closed my eyes to blink the tears away, I opened them to see that I was now alone, standing on the edge of the dock. The sun was setting and the water was choppy from the wind that whipped against the skin on my face. I looked down into the water, the never ending darkness of the water. It was inviting but terrifying at the same time. I went to take a step back but something shot up and grabbed my ankle. I saw it was Peter and screamed as he yanked me into the water.

"MAGGIE! MAGGIE WAKE UP! MAGS!" I opened my eyes and Scott was yelling in my face trying to shake me back to consciousness. I blinked a few times and Nathan and Isaac were also hovering over me. I was breathing heavy and sweating.

"What the hell was that?" Isaac asked clearly shaken. I wiped my forehead and saw my hands were shaking.

"I'm fine...it's-" Nathan shook his head at me.

"That's not fine Maggie. That's not fine at all." He said clearly worried.

"You were crying in your sleep then you started screaming. What did you see?" Scott asked looking almost afraid to let me go but I gradually pushed him away.

"I just need a minute to collect myself, please." I put my hands up and the three of them backed off. I got out of bed and my knees gave out. Luckily Isaac caught me and helped me into the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror and saw how haggard I looked. I washed my face and calmed myself down before walking back out to see it was just Isaac and Scott now.

"You said you were having nightmares, you didn't say you were having night terrors. Have you told Deaton?" Scott asked chewing on the inside of his cheek.

"Yeah, he gave me something to take but-" Isaac cut me off.

"But nothing. You need to take it. That was freaking horrible." Isaac rubbed the back of his neck. He must have showed up late and slept in the guest room judging by his disheveled look.

"I won't dream if I take it but I'll basically be knocked out. I can't protect myself." I explained.

"From what?" Scott put his hand on my arm. I didn't answer him. I wasn't sure what I was afraid of at this point. Sleep itself I supposed.

"Take it and we'll protect you." Isaac looked over at Scott.

"Scott-" He put his hand up.

"Maggie, we'll make sure nothing happens to you but you need rest." Scott insisted. I let out a sigh and Nathan came back with sleeping pills.

"Those won't work but I have something." I put my hand up walking over to my dresser and retrieving the vial.

"Are you sure this will work? You don't want to go to the ER or maybe the vet?" Scott and Isaac threw Nathan an annoyed look but I just felt guilty.

"This will work and I'll go see Deaton in the morning. Just please...if something happens all of you get to the attic and use the bag of salts to seal the room." I looked over at Isaac and he nodded. I got back into bed and Scott gestured for Isaac to take the chair as he sat down on the bed. Nathan paced.

"Nathan...once I take this, I'll be out for 8 hours. Stay out of trouble until then." I teased before chucking the liquid back. It burned the whole way down and I had just enough time to get comfortable before everything went black.

**~IIII~**

I never truly expected whatever Deaton had given me would actually be as potent as he said it was. Those 8 hours of utter darkness weren't scary, they weren't filled with nightmares or strange dreams. It was peaceful. It made me realize that even in death, I'll never get the kind of nothingness and stillness of the 8 hours of sleep I got that night. I hadn't realized what time I had woken everyone up at because by the time the 8 hours was up, it was already 2 in the afternoon. I woke up feeling refreshing, rested and calm. I could feel the tension and concern of the boys as they paced around me but it's like my body was still in a state of tranquility. I had finally convinced Scott to go check on Stiles but Nathan insisted I get checked over by Deaton if I refused to go to the hospital.

"I see the remedy worked. You look very rested." Deaton said as he looked me over.

"That's what I told them but Nathan was worried." Nathan stood with his arms crossed by the door.

"Look Kid, I'm new at the whole guardian thing let alone being a guardian to someone with an extraordinary case. I was able to handle everything else pretty well but when you wake up screaming bloody murder I tend to worry." Nathan said waving his hand around.

"She'll be able to get ahead of them once we've got her head clear. It'd probably help to get her released a bit earlier from school though." I looked at Deaton and he looked confused as Nathan tilted his head.

"What do you mean?" Nathan questioned.

"You told him about werewolves but you didn't tell him about your training?" Deaton narrowed his eyes at me.

"Standing right here. What's going on? What training?" Nathan stepped closer to me as I rubbed the tops of my legs with my palms.

"Maggie, he needs to know." Deaton pressed. I let out a sigh and looked over at Nathan who stared at me desperately.

"I told you that what I was...it's complicated and dangerous. I don't know how to control it and that's a problem." I explained.

"There's a new threat coming to Beacon Hills...well it's already here which makes me insanely unprepared to begin with but that's going to change." Nathan tilted his head sideways and ran his hands down his face.

"Come on Kid, you're giving me the synopsis. I need more than that." Nathan stepped towards me.

"This new threat will come for Maggie and they could very well kill her. They're much stronger at the moment and while Maggie has an army of people who would fight for her, what she really needs is time. Time to prepare herself without distractions." I could hear Nathan's pulse pick up when Deaton mentioned that this alpha pack could very easily kill me.

"I'm sorry this is all being thrown at you right now. I wished I could keep you out of it but-" Nathan put his hand on my arm.

"Hey, I told you I'm all in here okay? Weird shit and all. You tell me what you need me to do and I'll try and help anyway I can but don't sugar coat things for me. I need to know what the deal is in order to help. I'm not going to let anything hurt you Kid." I smiled briefly at Nathan to keep from getting emotional. In the short time we'd spent together, he was already willing to sacrifice the life we just started building.

"We have a lot of things that need to be discussed and planned in a very short time frame." Deaton patted Nathan's shoulder and he nodded at him ready to take on the task. We'd spent two hours making plans with Nathan before I headed towards Stiles house. I needed to get my mind off of what was coming and I was worried I hadn't heard from him or Scott to get an update. I used my key when Stiles didn't answer the door and found him pacing around in his room.

"Hey, I knocked but I guess you didn't hear me." He jumped startled before looking relieved to see me.

"I slipped into my dad's office and was checking out Matt's case file. He was following you too Maggie. He had all these photoshopped pictures of him and Allison but he also had pictures of you. This psycho was creeping around the house, taking pictures of you, of us..." Stiles started held up some of the pictures and I looked at them. They were beyond creeper status but I tried not to think about it.

"Did you stay up all night looking at his case file?" I noticed the bags under his eyes and he waved me off.

"I've just been trying to put all these pieces together. I mean we know why Matt used Jackson to kill all the people he did but now that he's dead, who's controlling Jackson? Worst case scenario is the Argent's since currently they want to kill Derek and I'm sure you." Stiles pushed some of the pictures aside and I saw Stiles phone sitting next to his bed.

"Is your phone off? I tried texting you but you didn't answer. I know Scott was supposed to-" He cut me off.

"It was distracting me so I put it on silent mode." He didn't even glance back at me as I pulled a face.

"And if something happens how are people supposed to reach you? You can't go radio silent Stiles." He finally turned towards me.

"Scott hasn't answered any of my calls and it's not like my dad is going to suddenly start calling me worried. You have the walkie talkie. That's always on if you need me. Are you okay? Did something happen?" He walked towards me and I shook my head gripping his arms and sitting him down on his bed. I took in his appearance a bit more and I could practically feel his body vibrating with tension and irritability.

"You look like crap. You need to get some sleep." I said with a frown but he just shrugged.

"Yeah well I have a lot on my mind." He ran his hand over his hair letting his face rest in his hands for a moment. I had picked up his comment about his dad and concluded that things hadn't gotten any better since the last time we spoke.

"Things with your dad are going to get better. There's just a lot going on right now. That doesn't mean-" Stiles looked up from his hands and I could see something different this time. It was terror.

"I can't sleep because I'm terrified of what could happen next. I keep…I keep watching you get hurt and I instantly go back to the night." Stiles explained and the sad part was I wasn't sure if he meant the night at the station or the night Peter killed me.

"Stiles, you've got to push that out of your mind right now. You can't keep thinking about the past." I was trying to be sympathetic but he rolled his eyes hard getting defensive.

"I'm sorry if watching you get hurt isn't something I can just shake off. You did die in my arms so that was a bit mentally scarring for me." I let out a sigh knowing there was nothing I could really say to give Stiles comfort, not with him being this exhausted and wired at the same time.

"I just don't want to lose you again. I'm done losing you." Stiles looked at me and I realized he wasn't scared for himself. He was scared for me. Feelings of guilt set in almost instantly and I walked over and sat next to him on his bed. I reached into my pocket and handed him the coin I had charmed for him and he looked at it.

"What's this?" He took it from me looking at the symbol on it. I said the incantation and put my hand on his cheek.

"It's a protection charm. I had Boyd put one at the station and I've got one for your dad too. I know nothing I say will ever make you stop worrying but can you just be right here in this moment with me please? Stop thinking about thing's with your dad, thing's with the kanima and the Argent's, all the craziness. Can we just pretend that we're just two normal teenagers?" Stiles held my gaze as I rubbed his cheek with my thumb.

"Yeah we can be normal for a little bit but can I try something?" Stiles asked. I nodded my head as he reached up and put his hand on my cheek mirroring my body before pressing his lips to mine. I was a bit surprised but I kissed him back immediately. My hand fell to the front of his shirt and he used both of his hands now to keep my lips connected to his. It wasn't a rushed kiss. It was almost lazy, like he was taking his time to whined down using my body to help calm himself and I didn't mind one bit. I let him lean me back onto his bed as my legs dangled to the floor, he leaned over me only slightly and moving one of his hands down to my side. He sighed against my lips and pulled away shaking his head.

"I hate when you do that." He breathed.

"Do what?" I was confused as to what he was talking about as I looked up at him.

"You pull me back. I barely slept an hour last night and exhaustion hasn't hit me until I start making out with you on my bed." Stiles blinked slowly at me and I smiled reaching up to touch under his eyes.

"To be fair, making out is quite tasking." I smiled at him and he leaned down to kiss me once more.

"Say yes to going on that date with me...please." I looked up at Stiles tired eyes and wanted so badly to just forget everything that Deaton, Nathan and I planned. I wanted so badly to just be normal just so I could have moments like this with Stiles all the time.

"I'll go on a date with you if you promise me you'll get some sleep right now." I offered and he smiled dizzily. He pushed up from the bed and I sat up straightening out my shirt.

"Will you stay with me?" He asked so sweetly I'd feel guilty for even considering to say no.

"Sure." I climbed back into Stiles bed next to him and rested my head on his chest. I didn't need to listen to his heart to know when he fell asleep. He rubbed his thumb over my arm absently until he passed out and I blinked quiet tears out of my eyes as I let him hold me.

There was no way I was ready for the agony that was coming but there was no way of stopping. Stiles slept safe and sound in my arms while I felt myself driving at high speeds waiting to hit the brick wall. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket and I was thankful that it was in a pocket I could actually reach without disturbing Stiles. I pulled my phone out to see it was a text.

**Text from Derek:**  
 _We need to talk...it's about Peter._

And just like that I hit the brick wall head on.


	13. Dealings with Devils

**[Stiles POV]**

I had debated going to the office all week but after Scott pretty much decided he was going to continue giving me the cold shoulder and Maggie was busy with catching up on school work while actively avoiding me, I decided I'd give it a shot.

Ms. Morrell was much more of a listener than a talker I assumed considering she pretty much sat, starring at me for the first 20 minutes as I fiddled with my lacrosse stick. It was weird going to practice without Scott. Isaac has shown up once but mostly just to creep around. Jackson was there like nothing had ever happened and coach kept going off about Scott not being there. The way it looked right now, we'd be lucky to have enough guys to play in the actual game but I knew that was the last thing any of us was worried about. There was just so much going on, it was hard to stay afloat at the moment.

"What are you thinking about right now Stiles?" Morrell finally spoke making me bite my lip.

"Drowning." I answered as if she already knew the conversation I was having in my head.

"You know when you're drowning, you don't actually inhale until right before you blackout. It's called voluntary apnea. It's like no matter how much you're freaking out, the instinct to not let any water in is so strong that you won't open your mouth until you feel like your heads exploding. Then when you finally let it in that's when it stops hurting. It's not scary anymore, it's actually kind of peaceful." I shrugged thinking about what it would have been like to drown in the pool with Maggie and Derek. Drowning was a fear of mine but I didn't hesitate to jump in there to save him.

"Are you saying you hope Matt felt some peace in those last moments?" Ms. Morrell asked quickly reminding me that she had no idea half the things that had happened in the station that night.

"I don't feel sorry for him. Not after what he did." I shook my head looking at her.

"Can you feel sorry for the 9 year old Matt who drown?" She followed up as if to guilt trip me into feeling sympathy for that psycho.

"Just because a bunch of dumbasses dragged him into a pool when he couldn't swim doesn't really give him the right to go off killing them one by one. Not to mention all the creepy photoshopped pictures they found on his computer with him and Allison like he was in some fake relationship with her. There was even some of Maggie too. So yeah maybe drowning when he was a kid set him off but that doesn't give him a green light to hurt innocent people. Maggie had nothing to do with that and he hurt her...and my dad." I swallowed the lump in my throat that came up just mentioning my dad. We still hadn't actually had a decent conversation despite my best efforts to actually have one with him.

"One positive thing came out of this though. Your father got his job back. That should be a relief." I shook my head at the comment. While it was a relief that my dad got his job back, I was still terrified that he was supposed to be running a town that was full of things that could take him out in a heartbeat. I had managed to slip the protection charm into his wallet and tried to let that thought comfort me but he still seemed miles away.

"Yeah but I still feel like there's something wrong between us. There's like this tension when we talk, same thing with Scott." I added going back to my lacrosse stick.

"Have you talked to him since that night?" Morrell questioned making me shake my head.

"No but he's got his own problems to deal with. Maggie's the only one I've really talked to during the break but not much since being back at school. I guess she's still settling in at the new place." I shrugged.

"It must be hard for you with her being gone now. I imagine having her so close all the time was a bit of a comfort." I looked up at her choice of words.

"She isn't gone. She's just a few minutes drive away and she seems happy to have a place of her own now. That's all I wanted for her was to be happy and safe." I said honestly. I hated that she moved out but seeing her interacting with Nathan and being able to move around in her own room made her look more relax. She seemed to have more of a handle on her surroundings now.

"I'd hope that you and Maggie would be spending some time with Allison. The death of a parent is difficult at any age but even more so when you're still young. You've both felt the pain of losing your mother's." I raised my eyebrows quickly at the thought.

"Yeah I don't think Allison really wants help coping with that from anyone outside her family right now. Obviously she wouldn't go to Maggie for comfort, family history and all. But I don't know, i think it's gotten her closer with her dad which I guess is a good thing." I wish I could just tell her that it was probably a horrible thing because who knows what the Argent's planned on doing to Derek and his pack or if they'd even try and go after Maggie or not.

"Jackson's kind of been out of it lately and as of right now, Lydia seems to be handling everything just fine despite the aftermath of a pretty insane birthday party." I rolled tugging on the binding of my stick to make sure it was tight enough.

"What about you Stiles? Feeling some anxiety about that championship game?" I froze at the accusation.

"Why would you ask me that?" I realized I had my net in my mouth and spit it out making her smirk at me.

"I don't actually play so I'm not too worried but I guess you never know since one of my team mates is dead and the other is missing. Maybe I'll actually see more than the bench." I joked darkly but that didn't break her stride.

"You mean Isaac, one of three runaways. You haven't heard from any of them have you? I'm sure Maggie is beside herself with worry. Being so close to them and having them suddenly disappear like that." I picked up on a trend in this conversation.

"You keep bringing up Maggie, is that because you know we're close or are you interrogating me?" I questioned her right back as she folded her hands on her desk.

"I'm merely making a comment Stiles. I'm sure when she disappeared all those years ago it was hard for you considering how dependent you are on her." I took offense immediately.

"Wow you are the worst therapist ever. Isn't it kind of off book to insult someone looking for guidance?" I asked with disdain.

"I'm making an observation. You seem very invested in Maggie's well being." I sat back in the chair.

"Yeah because she's my best friend who's been through two lifetimes worth of tragedy. I don't know anyone who's suffered as much as her and managed to come out of it in one piece. It's not a crime to be protective of a friend." I defended.

"Have you ever thought that maybe she doesn't need you to protect her? Maybe she is perfectly capable of protecting herself but she spends too much time worrying about other people trying to protect her that it's hard for you to notice." The more Morrell talked, the more I wanted to storm out of the office. She didn't know me, she didn't know what Maggie and I had been through.

"Yeah I worry about Maggie more than a typical friend would but you know what, I care about her. She's more than my best friend and I've watched her almost die too many times. No one gets that. They just think I'm overprotective but I'm perfectly protective." I offered throwing my hands out.

"Maybe those extra feelings cloud your judgement. We all do reckless things if it's to protect someone we love. Perhaps you're protective nature towards Maggie is more of a burden than a blessing." I grew even more frustrated at the thought that I was causing Maggie some sort of distraction by caring.

"Maggie is the toughest, most courageous, selfless person I know. She needs me around to tell her when to not take a risk or else she'll end up hurt. When you love someone, you help them off the ledge." I explained trying to appeal to the counselor in her but she kept her face solid.

"When you love someone, you let them make their own mistakes. You don't hold them back because your own fear is to be alone." I felt my mouth go dry. Had she really just accused me of crippling Maggie because of my own fears? She really was the worst guidance counselor ever.

"I'm not afraid of being alone." I mumbled holding her eye contact.

"No you're afraid that she might not need you as much as you need her and if there is truth in that than you're going to lose her either way." I was speechless. I honestly had no idea what to say after that. It gave me anxiety just thinking that I was that obvious to someone who barely knew me.

"I apologize if I offended you Stiles. I was merely suggesting that maybe you spend too much time worrying about her well being when you should be worrying about your own. If you had to be truly honest with yourself right now, how are you really doing?" She leaned forward a bit and I took a shaky breath.

"I'm fine." I lied. She tilted her head and waited for me to continue and I let out a sigh.

"Yeah aside from the not sleeping, which I guess hasn't happened a lot since Maggie left. The jumpiness and breath taking anxiety. The constant, crushing feeling that something terrible is about to happen but can you blame me? I watched my best friend and my dad get pummeled by some psychopath and I...I couldn't...I couldn't do anything to stop it." I rambled truthfully.

"The feeling that you feel, it's called hyper-vigilance. The persist feeling of being under threat." She explained.

"It's more than that, it's like a panic attack. I can't think straight, my whole body goes into this state of shock and I can't breathe-" She cut me off.

"Like you're drowning." She said making me nod my head.

"So if you're drowning and you're trying to keep your mouth closed until that very last moment, what if you choose to not open your mouth? To not let the water in?" She asked.

"You do anyway, it's a reflex." I dismissed.

"Like your reflex to protect Maggie." I swallowed the lump in my throat and remained silent.

"If you hold off until that reflex kicks in, you have more time right?" She continued.

"Not much time." I wanted to defend myself but she was right.

"But more time to fight your way to the surface, to be rescued." I shook my head at her.

"More time to be in agonizing pain, did you forget the part where it feels like your head is exploding? Why would anyone want to fight a reflex that makes the pain go away?" I threw my arms out.

"If it's about survival, isn't a little agony worth it?" She kept her eyes on me and I felt like she was trying to speak to me on a larger scale, like she knew just how terrified I was of losing Maggie again, about losing my dad to all of this, about watching everyone around me die.

"What if it just gets worse? What if it's agony now and hell later?" I questioned genuinely nervous about the answer.

"Then think of something Winston Churchill once said...if you're going through hell, keep going." I stared at her for a few moments before my phone started buzzing in my pocket. I quickly reached for it and pulled it out to see it was Maggie.

**Text from Maggie:**   
_Hey can't hang out tonight. Don't worry though, I'm just trying to study for this test. I'll text you when I finish up._

I didn't bother texting back. I just pocketed my phone and looked up at Ms. Morrell. She was completely right about me. I would never admit that to her of course but she was right. Maggie didn't need me to protect her. She could protect herself. Just the thought of something happening to her or losing her sent me into a heightened state of anxiety that I knew wasn't healthy.

"Maggie keeps trying to tell me not to worry but I can't seem to help it. I feel like I've been tiptoeing through hell for a really long time now and I guess I'm just waiting for the next horrible thing to happen." I admitted unwillingly.

"I keep having this nightmare...about my mom and dad, Scott and Maggie...Lydia and Allison...they're all standing on the field and staring at me with these terrified expressions all over their faces like they've just seen their greatest fears barreling towards them or something. But when I try to get close, to reach out and touch them, they just turn to dust and blow away." I looked up at Ms. Morrell and she nodded at me.

"It would seem you worry so much about the people you care about that you completely forget about yourself in all the chaos. Take some time to really focus on you Stiles. Focus on who you are and what you want. Those attributes will prepare you for whatever storm you may face." Ms. Morrell glanced at the clock and I realized I was going to be late for practice if I didn't leave soon.

"Good luck in the big game Stiles and remember that sometimes protecting the ones you love means protecting yourself." I got up and threw my bag over my shoulder, confused slightly by her final statement. She had started writing her session notes as I walked out the door and silently doubted her memory of everything that was said but shook it off as I got ready for practice. It was hard to focus though. Jackson had shown up like it was no big deal and Isaac stayed long enough to eyeball everything before taking off. Coach was having a meltdown loudly when I saw Maggie run out of the school, phone to her ear as she got into her car and took off out of the parking lot in the opposite direction of home. She was going towards the preserve which made me nervous. I could only hope that she'd be meeting up with Derek and that she'd be safe. I hated that so much was going on in my head. I felt like the world was spinning to fast and I was just on the edge of letting it take me for one hell of a ride.

**[Maggie's POV]**

The moment Derek called me with where to meet him, I panicked. He shouldn't be at the old house. That would be one of the first places the Argent's would look for him. I tried to explain that to him but he had hung up the phone before I even had a chance to open my mouth. I quickly left the school, praying I'd passed my final and sped off towards the preserve.

When I pulled up, I could feel Derek's presence. He was pacing, full of anxiety and anger. When I walked in, he did something surprising. He hugged me tightly. I froze for a moment but I hugged back after I realized that Derek wasn't much of a hugger to begin with.

"Are you okay?" I asked him hoping he wasn't about to drop a bomb on me but he pulled away shaking his head.

"Thing's have changed Maggie. You need to get out of Beacon Hills as soon as possible. Get your uncle and just take off." Derek said picking a bag up from the floor and thrusting it at me.

"There are things of my mother's in here, things that will keep you safe. I don't know when or if it will be safe for me to contact you but you've-" I put my hands up stopping Derek.

"Whoa can you just like...stop for a second." I raised my voice so Derek would know how unnerved he was making me. He let out a pestered sigh.

"I can't leave. Deaton has agreed to help train me. I'm checking out of school early so he can teach me how to control what I am, both sides, together." I explained seeing Derek's face harden for a few moments. I knew he was considering if he could trust Deaton and I was fully prepared to explain all the reasons why he should be he nodded.

"I think that's actually a good idea. You need to be prepared to protect yourself and control whatever being the Nyvolore brings with the changing moons. But he'll have to train you someplace else. Maybe I can talk him into taking you someplace." Derek took my news fairly simple and instantly tried to rework the plan to get me out of town.

"What the hell is going on? You said this was about Peter-" Derek cut me off in return.

"He's back Maggie. Something happened...I couldn't stop it...he's back for real." Derek explained making my heart drop to the pit of my stomach.

"H-how long...how long have you known? How long has he been back?" I questioned. Derek seemed surprised I believed him.

"The last full moon. The night of Lydia's party, she did some sort of ritual." Derek started to explain and I ran my hand through my hair.

"It was all real. Everything was real and I thought it wasn't." I whispered to myself feeling like an idiot.

"What was real? What are you talking about?" Derek stepped closer to me as I tried to get my bearings. I shook my head and looking over at him but before I could answer, Boyd and Erica walked in looking nervous.

"Hey, everything okay?" I asked concerned but they both looked like they were about to deliver terrible news.

"You've decided. When?" Derek spoke catching my attention.

"Decided what?" I questioned.

"We're leaving...tonight. Everyone is going to be at the game. We figured it was the best time." Boyd said looking from Derek to me with saddened eyes.

"It's not like we want to leave you, that's not what this is." Erica stepped towards me.

"I know that, it's okay." I said trying to soothe her fears but Derek stepped forward with a huff.

"What do you want?" He asked with agitation. I knew this would be a betrayal in Derek's eyes but they were just kids, we're all just kids. No one could have prepared us for this.

"Since I just turned 16 a month ago, I wouldn't mind getting my licenses. I can't do that if I'm dead, you know." Erica explained bitterly.

"I told you there was a price." Derek gritted. I stepped forward so I was now as close to them as Derek was. I didn't want them to leave on bad terms. They deserved better than that. A portion of why they made the choice they did was because of me and I wasn't going to let them think it didn't matter.

"Yeah but you didn't say it would be like this." Boyd added but Derek was quick to jump down his throat.

"Yeah but I told you how to survive. You do it as a pack and you're not a pack without an alpha." Derek turn his back to them as if the argument was over but I could tell by their body language they weren't finished.

"You've found another pack." I said surprised. Derek turned around looking at both of them. Erica started recounting their trek through the preserve and how they'd been testing out their scents and hearing when they came across another pack. It made me nervous knowing what I knew about the alpha pack being in town.

"All the sudden we heard all this howling, it was unbelievable." Erica's face lit up.

"It must have been a dozen of them." Boyd added.

"Maybe we should check this pack out before you just jump in-" Derek pushed past me.

"Do you know what the bojest effect is? If they modulate their howls with a rapid shift in tone, two wolves can sound like twenty." Derek raised his voice.

"Look that doesn't matter okay. There's another pack out there, there's gotta be." I hated how desperate Erica sounded.

"And you're so quick to just abandon the one you're currently in. What makes you think anyone else would want you?" Derek spat making me pull on his arm.

"Derek! Stop this okay?! Maybe it's what's best for right now? The Argent's are going to come after us-" Derek turned his anger towards me.

"And they'll destroy us without a pack!" Derek argued.

"I won't have them die for me! I won't have anyone else die for me!" I yelled just as loudly making him shake his head.

"We've already lost Derek. It's over. We're leaving." Boyd said firmly bringing Derek's anger right back to them.

"No, you're running and once you start, you don't stop. You'll always be running. If that's the life you want for yourselves than you shouldn't even wait another moment. Just go." Derek turned away from them and Erica grabbed a hold of Boyd pulling him behind her.

"Erica...Boyd wait!" I ran after them glancing back at Derek who didn't budge from his position.

"I'm sorry it has to be this way Maggie, you know we love you-" Erica started to say fuming but I put my hand up.

"Hey I know and he cares about you guys too just as much as I do. Please don't leave like this. I know it's what you have to do and I support your decision but if you could just hold off, just for a few more days, I promise I will talk to Deaton and he'll help you find a safe pack that can be trusted." I begged seeing the urgency on Erica and Boyd's faces as they considered it.

"I know you guys don't owe me anything but it would destroy me if something happened to you. Let me help. Let us help." I reached out and took Erica's hand. She was still wearing her birthday gift so that put my mind at ease. Boyd gave her a nod before looking down at me.

"Just a few more days." Boyd agreed and I let out a heavy sigh.

"Thank you." I reached up and hugged him tightly before doing the same to Erica.

"Just make sure you stay clear of the preserve okay? Meet me at my house after the game and we'll work something out." I said firmly with a small smile. The two of them took hand in hand and I stormed back into the house to give Derek a piece of my mind.

"What the hell is wrong with you? How can you just turn your back on them so easily? They've done everything you've asked of them from day 1 and you're ready to just send them off on their own to die?" I yelled making Derek look at me with disdain.

"We have a lot more to worry about right now Maggie." Derek huffed but I pushed his chest making him look at me.

"No! They are a priority. Do you hear me?! You started this for me, they're our family too and no matter what they decide to do or where they decide to go, it's our job to make sure they're safe. Be the alpha I know you can be. Be the big brother I know you can be." I shoved him again and he gripped my wrists stopping me.

"Maggie this is serious okay? Peter is alive. The Argent's are coming for blood and we are alone in this. You need to-" I pulled away from Derek.

"Run? You just sent half our pack away for the very same offense. I'm not an exception to the damn rule Derek. If the Argent's want to kill me, if Peter wants to kill me then they can bring it on because the girl that was so easy to kill before died along time ago." I turned around to storm out of the house but ran into someone's chest.

"Not quite the way I wanted our reunion to go but it's a start." My whole body locked up as I stood staring into my father's dark eyes. My jaw dropped and I tried to make my body run but I couldn't. He looked into my eyes and smirked slyly.

"What? No hug for your dear old dad?" He chuckled as I stumbled backwards and watched the room spin around me. I felt arms grab me from behind and Derek calling my name as I spiraled into darkness.

**[Scott's POV]**

I hadn't bothered to really go back to school when I was supposed to after break. Mom still was avoiding me, Stiles had stopped trying to contact me and Maggie seemed to pull away after the night she had her nightmares. I pretty much floated between home and work and kept to myself. I tried to get Allison to meet me a few days ago but I guess she still wasn't ready. I wouldn't even know what to do if I lost my mom despite her thinking I'm a monster right now, I still loved her. I gave Maggie a call to check in on her but she never answered so I decided to get a shower before work. It was easiest to be alone with my thoughts in the shower. To just let the worries and the tension for what was about to happen just wash away down the drain. I wished I could stay in the shower forever but I knew I had responsibilities. I stood in front of my bathroom mirror looking at myself for a few moments.

Maggie had told me once that none of this was supposed to happen to us. That we were all just a bunch of kids but that's not what I saw anymore. When I looked in the mirror, I looked like a mess. I wasn't a kid anymore. I couldn't hide from the scary stuff or have my mom check under my bed for monsters. There was no one that was going to protect me. I'm a teenage werewolf who is failing his sophomore year of high school, terrorizing his mother and about to walk into a battle royal with a giant lizard. If I was a kid reading a story about my life, I'd think it was really cool but it's hardly entertaining to me now.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by a noise from my room. I walked around the corner to see the Kanima holding my mom by her throat from the ceiling while Gerard sat relaxed in the chair by my bed.

"As you can see Scott, there's been some interesting developments lately. We should catch up." He said calmly. I instinctively brought out the claws as a warning.

"Come on Scott let's be realistic about who has the upper hand here." Gerard actually chuckled as my mom struggled to catch her breath.

"Let her go." I pleaded.

"I cant do that. Let her live? That's up to you." He shrugged.

"What do you want?" I asked keeping my eyes on Gerard.

"I want to talk. You haven't been answering your phone." Gerard looked annoyed.

"It doesn't work right now." I lied making him let out a sigh before glancing at the Kanima. He tightened his grip and Mom kicked her legs.

"Don't lie to me Scott. I'm growing quite impatient with you. I know your phone works." I could hear my mom's heart beating faster.

"Okay okay, just let her go and we can talk about whatever you want." I said putting my hands up. Gerard got out of the chair and walked towards the Kanima still dangling my mom in the air.

"I want what I've always wanted. Derek and his pack." He wasn't as calm now. He meant business.

"You have them all in hiding. How do you expect me to find them?" I asked curiously. I honestly had no idea where any of them actually were. I knew Maggie had had contact with all of them except Derek but she'd never tell me where they actually were.

"I think with the right motivation you could draw them out and if you hadn't noticed I now have a fairly impressive means by which I can motivate people." I looked up at my mom who looked like she was about to pass out from lack of oxygen.

"Why do you think I'm able to control him? You know the myth Scott. The Kanima is a weapon of vengeance." Gerard seethed.

"This is all about Kate?" I questioned watching him move slowly towards the door.

"I didn't just come here to bury my daughter, I came here to avenge her. Derek's pack is just the beginning. They will all pay for what they did to her...all of them." Gerard growled before the Kanima dropped my mom on the floor and followed Gerard silently out of my room. I got to the floor and reached out to my mom as she tried to catch her breath.

"Are you okay?" I asked stupidly.

"I don't know what's happening...I don't know what that thing was or even what you are b-but whatever he wants just give it to him." Mom cried. It destroyed me that she couldn't look at me. It killed me even more that I couldn't do anything to protect her from what just happened.

"Mom it's not that easy." I didn't know how to explain everything to her. I didn't know how to tell her that people's lives were on the line, not when her whole body was trembling with fear.

"Just...just give him what he wants." She sniffled some more closing her eyes tightly.

"Mom, I know you're confused and scared and I'm sorry that all of this is happening to you but I can't just give him what he wants. What he wants is to hurt people...one of those people is Maggie." She dared a glance at me and I tried to get her to hold my gaze.

"I will do whatever it takes to protect you but I can't become a killer. I won't become a killer." I explained offering a hand to help her up. She scooted back and pulled herself to her feet before giving one more look and taking off into her room once again, shutting and locking the door. I pulled on some of my new clothes and tried to give Maggie another call but still got her voice mail.

"Maggie please call me back. Gerard has control of the Kanima and he's gunning for Derek's pack. We need to talk ASAP! Call me." I hung up my phone and walked out of my room, glancing towards my mom's room. She moved away from the door and I could hear her whimpering as she tried to stay as still as possible. I didn't bother telling her I was going to work now. I'd done enough damage for one day. I walked into work earning a strange look from Dr. Deaton. He didn't ask me what was wrong but I could tell he was concerned. Sometimes I hated how well he knew me. It was hard to stew in my head when he walked up and put a hand on my shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze and a knowing nod that made me feel less of a burden on the people I love.

"Gerard showed up at my house this morning. He threatened my mom. Kind of makes her seeing me as her son and not a monster pretty difficult." I confessed.

"You're hardly a monster Scott. Monsters can be ordinary people like Gerard for example. She'll see that eventually but you need to have faith in the plan we've already set in motion. It'll work." Deaton stood in front of me as we cared for the Rufus.

"But will it work before they get to Maggie and Derek is the real question." I said making Deaton shift on his feet.

"We've never really talked about what Maggie is capable of but I can assure you that she is not as easily killed as she was before. While the Argent's are a very powerful force, Maggie is very smart." I felt a bit more at ease talking to Deaton about protecting everyone. I couldn't watch Maggie die again. Once was hard enough. I couldn't just let it happen again.

The bell chimed in the lobby and we shared a look when the animals in the back started going crazy. When we walked out to see who it was, I wasn't the only one surprised to see Isaac standing at the door, hands in his pockets and eyes on the ground.

"It's okay Isaac. We're open." Deaton smiled as he opened the gate for Isaac to come through. He looked up at me and I gave him a slight nod. I knew when he showed up that night at Maggie's that he was important to her. There was no shaking him if Maggie had invited him into her home, that's just how she was. We didn't talk much but seeing how concerned her was when she started screaming, that feeling of panic that I felt knowing that something was hurting her in a place I couldn't reach her wasn't just something I was feeling. He felt it too.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as Deaton cut his eyes at me. I wasn't trying to sound like a jerk, I was genuinely curious.

"Derek's in hiding and Maggie's not really answering her phone right now so I figured I would wait with you. It's not like I really have a ton of places to go." Isaac shrugged. I assumed Erica and Boyd were off the grid together.

"That's fine. I can't really get a hold of Maggie myself but she's supposed to come by and see Deaton later so you can wait if you want." I offered earning a nod. I got a smile from Deaton this time, I took as an approval of my change in tone. We went back to work as Isaac hovered silently. I noticed the face he made as Deaton drew more blood from Rufus as I kept him calm on the table.

"Why does it smell like that?" Isaac blurted finally making me chuckle. He looked between us confused.

"What?" He had no idea about his senses. Derek might have taught them how to fight but not how to utilize the most simple, every day abilities.

"Scott said almost the same thing to me a few months ago. One day he could somehow tell the difference between which animals were getting better and which animals were not." Deaton explained. Isaac surveyed Rufus as I kept stroking his fur.

"He's not getting better is he?" Isaac asked sadly. Deaton gave him a nod.

"Is it...is it cancer?" He pressed.

"Osteosarcoma. It has a very distinct scent doesn't it? Most illnesses have a special smell, much like death itself." Deaton explained before giving me a look.

"Come here, let me show you something." Deaton waved his hand towards himself and Isaac hesitated before walking towards him.

"I know you're aware of what your abilities can do for you. Improved strength, speed and healing. You ever wonder what it could do for others?" He asked.

"M-Maggie used to heal some of my bruises before." I hadn't known that about them. I knew that she worried about his dad hurting him which was crazy to find out just how bad he had it but I hadn't known that Maggie was healing him.

"Give me your hand." Deaton held out his hand and Isaac trusted him enough to let him guide his hand to Rufus making me pull my own away as Isaac let his rest upon his fur coat. The pain relief was almost immediate as his veins started to turn black from the gesture. He let out a little gasp as Rufus started to breathe easier. When he pulled his hand away slowly and watched as the veins started to fade, he looked horrified.

"What did I do?" He thought he'd hurt Rufus.

"You took some of his pain away." I smiled trying to reassure him that he'd actually done good.

"Only a little bit but sometimes a little bit makes a huge difference. Much like Maggie had done for you." Isaac looked up at Deaton before covering his mouth. He was getting upset and trying to hide it in front of us. It was odd to see Isaac in this light. He wasn't trying to fight me or kill anyone. He was a lot more sensitive then I ever imagined.

"It's okay. I cried the first time he showed me too." Isaac looked at me and chuckled as he tried to pull himself together. Deaton showed Isaac around the rest of the animals as I finished stocking the supplies. When he came back out of the room, he watched me work for a few moments in silence just keeping his eyes on me then to the floor whenever I looked back at him. It felt slightly odd, like he was monitoring my behavior for some reason.

"Maggie said that whenever she felt like she was lost that she'd always talk to you because you were her true North." He finally broke the silence and I looked up at him surprised.

"Really? She said that?" I asked making him nod and meet my gaze.

"Yeah she did. I guess that's why I came here instead of just waiting at her place." He explained. I had to laugh though. Isaac and I weren't really good friends, as a matter of fact, we had been kind of enemies for awhile there.

"Well no offense Isaac but I don't know you well enough for you to consider me your true North." I pointed out looking for a little bit of an explanation on what he meant.

"Yeah I know. I just sort of wanted some friendly advice. Maggie's been pushing me to talk to you for a while now." Isaac shrugged. It would seem I wasn't the only one she was pushing to befriend Derek's pack. I guess they were more than that though. To Maggie, they were friends. It didn't seem fair to just brush them off because they were in Derek's pack.

"You know you don't have to be friends with me just because Maggie wants us to be friends." I said hoping that he knew that already.

"Yeah but I kind of think you'd be an alright friend to have. You aren't the guy I thought you were. I can see why Maggie holds you in such high regard. You're a pretty honorable guy." I looked over at Isaac and listened to his heartbeat. He was actually being sincere.

"Thanks man." I finally managed to say once I realized it was a compliment.

"Boyd and Erica have been talking about splitting and I guess they finally made a decision. They're leaving tonight during the game." Isaac leaned against he metal table.

"Okay...so why are you telling me?" I asked still unsure of what he was getting at.

"I'm not telling you, I'm asking you for your advice. Maggie says I can trust you...and I do. You always seem like you want to do the right thing." Isaac explained.

"I usually have no idea what I'm doing. Actually I always have no idea what I'm doing." Isaac laughed but I was serious.

"Well you think you could tell me what you're doing now?" He asked as I turned around towards him.

"I'm not going anywhere if that's what you're asking. I've got too many people here who need me. I can't just abandon them." I explained seeing Isaac's face fall a bit.

"Well I guess that makes me lucky then because I don't have anyone." He pushed off the table heading for the door and something in me felt like it needed to talk him out of whatever he was thinking.

"That's not true. You have Maggie. She cares about you a lot." I said making him stop.

"She's got you and Stiles. She'll be alright." Isaac dismissed.

"Are you going to go with them then?" I asked curiously.

"Yeah I think I will." Isaac shook his head.

"You really should talk to Maggie before you decide to take off. I know you think Maggie doesn't need you but she does." Isaac smiled at me.

"The truth is, Maggie doesn't really need anyone." Isaac almost seemed disappointed in that admission. He was right though. Maggie didn't need anyone. She'd been through hell in back, mostly on her own but that didn't mean she wanted to be.

"You're right, she doesn't but we should all consider it a privilege that she actually wants us to be there for her. Talk to her before you decide anything. If you decide to stick around then...I've got your back." Isaac's eyebrows went up and he nodded his head.

"Good luck at the game tonight." He cleared his throat.

"Thanks but I'm not going either. I can't even think about playing some meaningless game right now. Not after what happened with Gerard today. Maggie's probably going to be at the game tonight helping Coach but if I can talk her out of it then I'll probably be spending the rest of my time trying to keep her safe and figuring out a way to stop Jackson." I ran my hand through my hair and Isaac looked at me confused.

"You weren't at practice last week, were you?" He asked.

"No I skipped it, why?" I squinted at him.

"Jackson was there. He acted like nothing ever happened but he was there. I thought Stiles might have told you or something." He shrugged.

"I haven't really had a chance to catch up with him either but are you sure Jackson was there?" I took a step towards him.

"Yeah I'm sure. He's playing in the game tonight." I felt a panic wash over me. Maggie was going to be at the game too. If Jackson was playing then Gerard would for sure be there.

"I've got to find Maggie." I breathed hurrying to find Deaton and let him know what was going on.

**[Derek's POV]**

I picked Maggie up and carried her over to the couch. She had started to shake in my arms and I pushed her hair out of her face.

"It's okay, Maggie. It's okay. You're okay." I kept whispering to her trying to calm her down but she was with the shock of seeing Peter as well as I expected she would.

"You would think that she would have taken that better considering I've been trying to warm her up to the idea of me being back for a week now but-" I spun around and looked at Peter.

"You what?" I got up and started towards him.

"She's my daughter, I'm entitled to visiting her. I figured it would be a while before she realized I wasn't just some dream but I didn't think it would take this long. You're also my nephew and I can see how much you love Maggie. You've been taking care of her and I appreciate that. We're a fam-" I slammed Peter against the wall and he laughed.

"I told you to stay away from her!" I growled jacking him up and ignoring his shitty attempt at using us being family as some sort of excuse. It didn't matter that Maggie was his daughter when he stuck his hand in her chest to try and rip her heart out so it damn sure doesn't matter now.

"Look I just came here to help. Let's just talk." Peter put his hand on my shoulder and I fumed.

"Sure let's talk." I felt my rage take hold as I punched him so hard he flew back into the staircase, splintering it. My claws had come out instantly and I decided to take him down as much as I could. If he was weak like Deaton had said then maybe the best thing for Maggie was that he be gone for good this time.

"You use a teenage girl to resurrect you, using my alpha status and act like everything you did will be forgotten?" I spoke as I jerked him up from the floor and head butt him onto the stairs.

"Everything I've done has been for Maggie. I'm just trying to help her rise to be what she is. You're going to need her strength if you want to even stand a chance for what's to come." Peter started to crawl up the stairs and I kicked him in the back making him stop.

"You killed Laura for power. You killed Maggie to use her as a weapon. She's just a kid! She deserves better than that!" I gritted my teeth as he finally reached the top of the steps. I gripped his shoulder and yanked him so hard backwards he flew down the stairs, rolling and slamming his back and shoulders on each step until he hit the floor with a grunt. I lifted him up to punch him hard again and kick him in his ribs as he tried to get up once more.

"You don't actually think I want to be the alpha again, do you? That wasn't my finest performance considering it ended in my death." Peter sat up and I kicked him in the face seeing blood spurt out of his mouth. I went to jump on top of him but Maggie grabbed my arm holding me back.

"Derek! Derek STOP!" She pleaded pulling me away from Peter.

"This is what he deserves Maggie! I'm going to end this." I said fighting against her.

"He's not worth it! You're not him!" She was upset as she held onto my arm and tried to get me to look at her as I reached for Peter with my free hand.

"COME ON! DO IT! HIT ME! HIT ME!" Peter started taunting me and I could feel Maggie shake with fear as she pulled back a bit.

"I can see that it's cathartic for you. You're letting go of all the anger, hate and self loathing that comes with total and complete failure." He said staring up at me as I still gripped his shirt.

"I may be the one taking the beaten but you've already been beaten Derek. So go ahead and hit me if it'll make you feel better." Peter's eyes glanced over at Maggie and she took a heavy breath.

"Derek please...please." Maggie begged me once more and I let him go, keeping my eyes on him as he collected himself. She let out a sigh of relief as I stepped back into her and looked her over.

"Are you okay?" I asked seeing her nodding at me but keeping her eyes on Peter.

"It's good to see you too have gotten so close. You need each other. You need me just as much though. I can help you." Peter spoke up making me look over at him as he got to his knees.

"You can't help me...you can't help either of us." I pulled Maggie away from Peter when he finally got to his feet.

"You need to get out of here. Find Scott and-" Maggie cut me off.

"Why didn't you tell me he was back? You knew and you didn't tell me!" Maggie pulled away from me upset.

"I was trying to figure out a way to keep you safe from him before I realized it was irreversible." I explained but she gripped her hair in frustration.

"Oh my God Derek! The whole keeping the truth to protect me is getting really old! How do you expect me to know if I'm losing my mind or not if you hide important details like Peter's been resurrected?" She took a deep breath and I stepped closer to her. I didn't want Peter to think we weren't united because he'd use that to get in her head.

"I thought I could figure out a way to get rid of him before you found out but thing's have been a little hectic." I reminded her.

"Don't use you being in hiding as an excuse to leave me hanging. A simple text would have sufficed." She poked my chest.

"To be fair, I did try to tell you myself but you refused to believe me." Peter cleared his throat putting his arms out in a nonchalant way. Maggie looked over my shoulder at her now very alive father.

"Oh that's because I'd prefer to think of you as ghost of psychotic father's past, not actually up walking around. You know, considering you killed me." I turned around and stepped in Peter's line of vision.

"Whatever you thought would happen upon your return was wrong because I'm not going to let you hurt her again. I'll cut you in half myself if I have to." I threatened totally prepared to rip him limb from limb if I had to.

"Derek..." Maggie put her hand on my arm again pulling me back.

"It's strange to see how much you care about her Derek. I haven't seen you care so much about someone in a very long time. I'm honored that it's my-" Maggie cut Peter off.

"STOP...CALLING ME THAT! You may be my father by blood but you've never been a real father so stop giving yourself the title." Maggie yelled making Peter's eyebrows go up. He seemed to take a step back at her outburst.

"I'm just here trying to help. You both need me whether you know it or not." Peter folded his arms over his chest.

"And why would we want help from a total psycho?" I asked sarcastically.

"First of all, I'm not a total psycho. Let me remind you that you're the one who ripped my throat out but hey we're all works in progress right?" He smirked at me.

"You need my help if you want to stop Gerard from having Jackson kill everyone yo-" Maggie stepped past me towards Peter.

"Wait...Gerard's controlling the kanima? How do you know that?" I put my hand on Maggie's arm so she wouldn't get too close.

"I saw him after he drowned that boy. Once he killed him, he became the master of the kanima which means it's no longer a pathetic boy's act of vengeance but a manacle monster's vengeance that will be coming at you full throttle." Peter explained. I knew Gerard wanted the kanima but I hoped he wouldn't get him. Now I didn't know what to do. All I knew was he'd be coming after me and Maggie was no longer safe around me.

"Listen to me okay, you need to find the others and get to Scott. If Gerard is going to come after me then let him but you need to get them in hiding okay?" I put my hands on Maggie's shoulders and she shook her head.

"I don't want to leave you...I don't trust him." She cut her eyes over my shoulder again.

"No faith. It's almost heartbreaking." Peter mumbled as he wiped blood from his mouth.

"I can handle him. The others need you right now. I need you to be safe." I explained getting her to look me in the eyes. She frowned before reaching into her pocket and pulling something out. She put it in my hand and muttered something.

"Keep this on you okay? It'll keep you safe." Maggie said firmly before throwing her arms around my neck and hugging me tightly. I patted her back trying to give her a sense of reassurance but there really was none. I had no idea how I could possibly defeat Gerard if he controlled Jackson. All I could really do was make sure his attack was focused on me and not the others.

"Go! Get out of here." I pulled away from her and tossed my head towards the door. She side stepped Peter and took off. I waited until I heard her car get far enough away before sitting on the steps staring down at the medallion she'd given me.

"You know that's a protection relic right? I must say she gets the fierce protective quality from her mother. She would use bones from her own body to make a spell strong enough to protect Maggie. Her witch has become a lot stronger than I'd expected." Peter leaned against the door frame staring into a dusty broken mirror.

"You sure have a lot of pent up anger. I'm not healing like I usually would but something tells me you already knew that when you started that beating." Peter's conceited tone made me want to finish him off right where he stood but I was at a loss.

"I need a pack with an alpha like you Derek and whether you want to admit it or not, you need a pack." I rolled my eyes at his terrible attempt in flattery.

"Why would I want you in my pack after what you've done?" I questioned incredulously.

"Because despite what you think, I do care about Maggie and she's not ready to face what we both know is going to be gunning for her. She is a Hale after all. You care about her and I want to help you protect her. Sometimes when you need help you turn to people you'd never expect." I met his gaze as he moved towards me.

"Look Derek, you tried to build a pack to protect her. You tried to prepared for the worst but you weren't ready. Now because of it Gerard is winning. He's got everything he needs to win and he's toying with Scott to make a choice between two girls he loves very much but that's not his end game. We both know him going after your wolves is merely a distraction so he can relish in his victory." I looked up at Peter tired of hearing how badly I'd screwed up and let Gerard win.

"How about you tell me something I don't know?" I growled frustratedly.

"Oh I'm going to and it's going to prove why you should trust me. Why you need to trust me." I rolled my eyes at Peter but he held his ground.

"I'm going to tell you how to stop Jackson." He said simply.

"You mean how to kill him." I squinted at him. That was always his method but I knew Maggie wouldn't be okay with that. She'd been looking for ways to help change Jackson back and rid him of the Kanima but her search had been unsuccessful.

"Actually I'm going to tell you how to save him." I was genuinely surprised by Peter but that didn't mean I believed a damn word he said.

"Maggie's been looking for ways to save him for a week now. If there was something that could save him, she would have found it by now." I informed him but he shook his head.

"She didn't know where to look. There is a myth that you can cure a werewolf by simply calling it by it's Christian name." He started.

"It's just a myth. If it were that simple then-" He cut me off.

"Sometimes myths and legends bare end of truth. Maggie is a walking myth." I looked up at him. He had a point. The only thing about Nyvolore's was stories. There was no one actually named in history with the exception of the very first one who's name has been long forgotten and replaced.

"Our name is a symbol of who we are. The Kanima has no identity. That's why it doesn't seek a pack." Peter explained.

"It seeks a master." I added.

"And who also grows up without a pack? No identity." Peter questioned slowly putting pieces together.

"An orphan." Just saying it made me think of Maggie and my mind wandered to where she was, hoping she'd reached safety by now.

"Like Jackson. Right now his identity is disappearing beneath a reptilian skin and you need to bring him back." My head snapped up at him.

"HOW!?" I snapped at him. If I had known how to help Jackson, I would have by now.

"The same way you saved Maggie! Through her heart! How else?!" Peter snapped right back like I wasn't understanding him fast enough.

"Maggie was a different case and if you haven't noticed Jackson doesn't have much of a heart to begin with." I pushed off the stairs and Peter chuckled.

"Not true. He'd never admit it but there is one young lady that Jackson shared a real bond with. One person who can reach him, who can save him." Peter's words brought me all the way back to the night Stiles had come to see me to retrieve what he needed to bring Maggie back. It seemed like forever ago but that night was burned into my head forever. It made me look at Stiles very differently. I didn't think he truly cared about her the way she cared about him until that night. If Jackson had someone that ever got to see a real, loving side of him it could only be one person.

"Lydia." I breathed seeing Peter smile.

"Your best ally has always been anger, Derek but what you lack most is heart. That's why you've always known you need Scott more than anyone. The way he's stood against you whilst still managing to help you at the same was only due to the fact that Maggie has a special place in his heart and she with him. You've let her in too but refuse to believe that emotion can truly be used as anything but a weakness. Even someone as burned and dead on the inside as me knows you can't deny the simple yet undeniable power of human love." I had my doubts about what Peter was saying, I kept thinking of Deaton's words when he'd found me that night Peter was resurrected but I was out of options and time. I looked up at him trying to look past the manipulating, psychopath that killed my sister, that killed Maggie, that used me to bring himself back and fought through every part of myself that was screaming not to trust him.

"What do I need to do in order to save him?" I conceded seeing the cocky smirk on his face appear.

"I'm going to tell you but first I want to make a deal with you." I shouldn't have been surprised but I was out of options. I had to make a deal with the devil if I wanted to protect my pack.

**[Lydia's POV]**

I sat on the porch for over an hour waiting for Maggie to show up. It was getting dark and I knew I was going to miss the start of the game if I didn't take off soon but I needed to talk to her. So much had happened and I was tired of being in the dark with everything. She had answers and she was the only one really willing to give them to me. I heard the car pull down the gravel road and she was on the phone when she got out of the car.

"Isaac I need you to get to the field and help Scott. They aren't safe and he needs all the help he can get. I just talked to Boyd and Erica, they'll meet me at the school. I'll be there as soon as I can." She said hastily as she caught sight of me and froze. She pocketed her phone slowly and looked around for my car which wasn't there. My mom had taken it thinking I wasn't in the right state of mind to be driving but I didn't care. I just walked anyway.

"Lydia...how did you get here?" She asked cautiously.

"I walked." I said simply earning a squint.

"You walked all the way here? Alone?" She questioned a bit surprised.

"That's how I spend most of my time these days. Besides it's not that far. It's actually kind of peaceful out here. I like it." I looked over at the water as she walked towards me keeping her eyes on me.

"Lydia what are you doing here? Are you okay?" She asked reaching out and grazing my sweater. I crossed my arms over my chest and turned back towards her.

"I just needed to talk to you. I know you're busy but-" Maggie shook her head and gestured to the front door of the house.

"I've just got to pack up some things but I can multitask." She invited me into her house and she followed me inside, shutting the door behind herself. I looked around the house and didn't feel the need to comment on some of the extremely tacky furniture. That's not really the best way to make peace with someone I imagined.

"My uncle lived on a boat for the past like decade so I hope you don't get a rash from the amount of gaudy materials strewn about." Maggie joked as she walked up the steps. I followed her carefully and gave a polite smile. I walked into her room and actually liked it. I was surprised by how comfortable it was and it actually kind of gave me more of a personal vibe on Maggie then I'd ever really gotten. I noticed the pictures of her, Scott and Stiles on the wall with some of her family I assumed. I saw a picture of her when she was younger and felt a bunch of childhood memories floating back.

"You were the chubby storm cloud." I blurted catching her attention.

"What?" She cocked her eyebrow at me.

"In 1st grade, Mrs. Miller's class. We did that play about the weather. You were the fluffy storm cloud." Maggie rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Fluffy is putting it lightly. I was the fat storm cloud and you were the sun. I think that sums up my inferiority complex towards you." Maggie said pursing her lips together.

"Tommy Miller kept picking on you saying you were the fat storm cloud and how the sun couldn't break through you because you were so fat." She stilled for a moment like she was remembering that moment.

"Yeah...you shut him down. Told him that he was a complete moron because the sun was barely visible when the storm clouds were out because they couldn't be contained. He peed his pants actually." She chuckled.

"See we weren't always enemies." I said stepping towards her. She put her hands in her pockets and let out a sigh.

"To be honest, most of my hatred towards you was jealousy. Sorry about that." She said biting the corner of her lip.

"I don't know why you'd be jealous of me. I'm nothing but town nutjob now. I barely know what's real and what's not anymore." I asked confused. I knew Stiles had a crush on me, he told me at the dance but there have been tons of things that have proved he had feelings for Maggie since then.

"Mostly because the boy I've been stupid in love with for my whole life has always been caught up in the beauty and brains that is Lydia Martin. What people think of you now is irrelevant. In a few years, you'll be rid of this town curing cancer and showing all those idiots that you're still a force to be reckoned with." I smiled sadly at Maggie as she went through a draw looking for things to pack in her black bag. I glanced at the polaroid picture that looked fairly recent of Stiles and Maggie lying in her bed. It was a sweet picture. Maggie smiled as she stared at Stiles pulling a face. You could see how much she cared about him in one picture.

"You love Stiles? Like legitimately love him. Why?" I asked completely catching Maggie off guard.

"What do you mean why?" She furrowed her eyebrows at me as I gestured to the picture on the wall.

"Well I mean he's cute and sweet but he's a bit spastic. Kind of intense." I said thinking about all the crazy things Stiles has done in the short time I've actually paid attention to him. The first thing coming to mind was his awkward inability to dance like a human.

"You don't know him like I do. If you did, you'd surprise yourself with how much you would care about him." Maggie got instantly defensive and I started to back peddle.

"I wasn't trying to offend you or him…I just.. I want to know what it feels like to love someone like that for so long. The only boy I've ever really cared about kind of hates me now so I guess I was just curious if this feeling is supposed to feel this bad." I asked thinking about Jackson. We hadn't really talked since that night at Scott's house and I felt like things were so up in the air I couldn't think straight. I missed him and I know I shouldn't. I know I should move on and forget him but I just couldn't. If this was truly love that I felt for Jackson after all these years then it was painful and I wasn't sure if it was supposed to hurt this much.

"It hurts. It's the best and worst feeling all at one time. It overwhelms you completely. It's like being suffocated by the most comfortable abundance of the greatest feeling you could ever feel but the fear of losing that feeling cripples you." Maggie explained carefully as she stared off into her room. Hearing her describe how she felt about Stiles made me realize how much we had in common.

"It makes you do things…crazy things. Things that could very well end up hurting you but in the end you know it's worth it just knowing they're alive and they know that you're helplessly in love with them." She bit her lip as she started to come back out of her head. She glanced over at me and I cringed.

"That kind of sounds awful." I said honestly seeing her frown.

"It kind of is some days." She shrugged. We stood in an awkward silence for a few moments.

"Would you die for him?" I asked suddenly making her look over at me breaking through the silence with such a blunt question.

"I would but he wouldn't let me go anywhere he couldn't follow. I died once and he brought me back." I knew Maggie had cheated death some how but I didn't know it was Stiles that brought her back.

"How did he do that?" I asked interested in knowing what exactly Stiles was in this crazy world but she just shrugged and smiled.

"I don't know. Maybe you could ask him someday." She suggested. I nodded at her before I noticed the packed suitcase by the window and gesture to it.

"Are you going somewhere?" I asked unsure of why she'd be packing so soon for summer vacation. She looked at the bags before letting out a sigh and looking at me.

"Actually I am. There are a lot of things going on right now, thing's are going to get a lot worse before they get better and I'm going to do everything I can to make sure everyone I care about is safely out of it." She explained making me a bit nervous.

"I know you have a lot of questions and I'm going to try and explain things in a quick crash course but I need your help with something." She held some sort of necklace out to me and I looked at it confused.

"What is this for?" She was muttering something as I held it and I felt a warmth flow through my hands just holding it.

"It's a protection charm. I want you to keep it. You obviously don't have to wear it but it'll keep you safe. I also have one for you to take home." She handed me a little velvet bag with a few more charms in it and I looked at her.

"Why are you doing this? Why are you trying to protect me? I spiked your drink at my party and I'm pretty sure I brought your dad back to life. I don't know what's real anymore but I do know that I don't deserve this. I don't deserve this much kindness." I couldn't help myself from getting upset now but Maggie grabbed my hand.

"Lydia it's okay. Everything is going to be okay." She said squeezing my hand. For some reason I believed her.

"Did you just use a witch thing on me to calm me down?" I asked trying to figure out why I felt at ease but Maggie laughed.

"No that wasn't a witch thing. That was me being a friend." She said with a smile.

"Maybe we can work on that." I suggested earning a nod.

"I'd like that a lot but right now we have to get some things and get to the game." She collected a few things from the attic before rushing me out of her house. I stopped her thought once we got to the car.

"Wait, I've got to know more. I need to know what's been going on? Why did Peter use me? What do I have to do with any of this? What are you?" I asked stopped at the passenger side door of Maggie's car.

"I will explain everything on the way but I warn you it's a lot to take in. Nothing about this is logical. You can't analyze it or use basic laws of nature to explain things away. What you're stepping into is supernatural. Can you handle that?" Maggie asked me seriously. I took a deep breath thinking about how this school year had gone. I was mauled by what I thought was a wolf, who continued to haunt my dreams and ended up using the moon to resurrect himself, I'd lost my boyfriend, my social status and slowly my mind. I refused to be that girl anymore. I'm stronger than this.

I nodded my head and looked Maggie right in the face before opening the door to her car.

"I'm Lydia Martin, I can handle anything." I said confidently before getting in the car. If I was going down the rabbit hole, I was going in with as much information as I could get.

**[Scott's POV]**

I sat in the locker room listening to Danny talk to Jackson, trying to figure out if Jackson was aware of what was going on or not and he genuinely seemed terrified. Not only of himself but for others as well.

"Stay in the goal tonight Danny. If you see me coming towards you, run the other way as fast as you can." Jackson's heartbeat was like a drumline in my head. I almost didn't hear Stiles say my name.

"Dude you're going to break your phone if you keep clutching it like that." I looked down at my phone and loosened my grip. I realized this was the first I'd really talked to Stiles since everything happened.

"Thanks...hey have you heard from Maggie today?" I asked curiously earning a shrug.

"No but she took off towards Derek's the last I saw her. She said she was studying for something. I don't know." He filtered off before he walked towards the bathroom. I guess he was done talking to me about it. I regret not reaching out to him when thing's got tense with my mom. Maggie told me I should talk to him but I knew he was dealing with problems with his dad so I didn't want to throw my crap on top of it. Maggie said that we were like an old married couple in that aspect. Not wanting to burden one another with problems but getting mad when we shut each other out. I needed to talk to him and straighten things out. He had to know that I cared. Especially with all the things that were going on right now.

I looked at my phone again and texted Maggie for the tenth time. I could only hope that Derek would keep her safe or that she was with Isaac, Boyd and Erica someplace out of harms way.

"Good morning. In less than an hour aircraft's from here will be joining others from around the world and you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind. Mankind...that word should have new meaning to all of us today." Coach continued his speech like he did every year and I noticed my mom had come into the locker room and was talking to Stiles.

"But today the world declared in one voice, we will not go quietly into the night. Today we celebrate our Independence day." The guys cheered and I couldn't help but laugh at the speech. It was nice to know some things never changed.

"Well said Coach. I might have chosen something with a little more historical value but there's no denying your passion." I tensed seeing Gerard enter the locker room. I don't know why my mom had come in the locker room but I wished she hadn't now that Gerard was here. I didn't trust him anywhere near her.

"While I haven't been here long there's no denying my pride in having a winning team for this school. I know you'll all be brilliant tonight even with only one co-captain leading you." I looked at him and saw his evil smirk. What the hell did he mean by one co-captain? Had he told Coach to bench me?

"Now I know I'm your principal but I'm also a fan so don't think I'll be content with watching you merely beat this team. Get out there and murder them." Gerard glanced around the room at my teammates before his eyes landed on me. To everyone else in the room, he was an enthusiastic principal wanting the win but I knew what kind of guy he was. I knew what he was capable of. He walked out of the locker room and I stood up.

"You heard him...ASSES ON THE FIELD." Coach yelled as everyone cheered.

"Coach are you benching me?!" I asked frantically and his face fell instantly.

"It's not my decision." He couldn't even look at me. Now I knew it was Gerard.

"But I have to play." I said hoping to convince him he needed me but he just shook his head.

"McCall you're failing three classes. Apparently academic's comes first. Steven's said she was going to help you out but she's checking out early so-" I had no idea what he was talking about but I didn't care.

"You don't get it. You have to let me play." All I could think about was Jackson tearing the team apart, tearing the other team apart, tearing everyone apart.

"McCall...not tonight. Tonight you're on the bench." I knew Coach didn't want to do it but I felt completely helpless. How was I supposed to protect the guys if I couldn't even be on the field? I walked out to the bench and sat down next to Stiles. His knees bounced with anxiety.

"Your dad coming?" I asked glancing over at him.

"Uh yeah he's already here. He's sitting with your mom." Stiles took a deep breath.

"Thing's any better with him?" I asked curiously earning a look.

"Sort of...not really. How about your mom?" He asked in return.

"Not really at all." Stiles nodded his head at me knowing there really wasn't much that could be said about the situation.

"Anything from Maggie yet?" Stiles followed that up only making me more nervous.

"No nothing yet. Have you seen Lydia or Allison?" Stiles shook his head no.

"Any idea what's going on?" He asked staring at me.

"Not yet." I breathed trying to keep my eyes on Jackson as he walked around on the field.

"It's going to be bad isn't it? Like people screaming and running for their lives, bloody killing and maiming." I looked over at Stiles unable to lie to his face.

"Yeah it looks like it." He let out a hard sigh and bit his lip.

"Scott, the other night when my dad got knocked out by Matt...seeing Maggie get shot and I'm just lying there...it just, it scared me. I want to help but I can't do the things you can do. I wish I could do more but I just...I can't." I looked at my best friend seeing the pain in his eyes as he spoke about that night.

"I am worthless in this battle and it scares the hell out of me. Watching Maggie get hurt, watching my dad...the possibility that I might lose one of you when I can't even help, kills me. I just can't." Stiles looked down at his hands and I noticed they were shaking.

"Stiles...it's okay." I didn't want to feed him a bunch of lines about winning this thing because I honestly didn't know how this was going to end but I wanted him to know that it was okay. I would do everything I could to make sure it was all okay. He looked at me unsure and tilted his head to the side.

"We're losing dude-" Coach came up behind us and cut Stiles off.

"What the hell are you talking about? The game hasn't even started. Now put on your helmet and get out there. You're in for Greenberg." Coach hit Stiles on the back and Stiles looked over at me before looking at the field.

"What happened to Greenberg?!" Stiles asked looking around for him.

"What happened to Greenberg? He sucks, you suck slightly less. Stevens put in a good word for you so-" Stiles heartbeat started to race.

"She did? Seriously?" He looked over at me silently asking if I knew but I just shrugged. I knew Maggie had spent some time with Coach working on her gym grade or at least that's what she told me so I assumed that's when she had the chance to talk to Coach about Stiles playing.

"I'm playing...on the field...with the team?" I laughed at how jazzed Stiles was seeing how hard it was for him to form a complete sentence.

"Yes unless you'd rather play with yourself." Coach suggested.

"I already did that today, twice." Stiles said without thinking before looking at the Coach and I.

"What? It was a slow day." He defended making me cover my face with my hand.

"GET THE HELL OUT THERE!" Coach shouted making Stiles scramble to gather his gear.

"Um...call Maggie...find her! Tell her I'm playing." He said running onto the field. I gave him a thumbs up before checking my phone once more. I didn't want to tell her about Stiles playing because I was hoping Maggie wouldn't show up. Now that I knew the threat was here, it was best she stay as far from the game as possible.

"MY SON IS ON THE FIELD!" I laughed as the Sheriff stood up and fist pumped at Stiles being on the field. It was a simple win despite everything going on around us.

 _"Scott, can you hear me? Ah you can. Good. Listen closely. The game is about to get interesting."_ Gerard started talking and I felt a panic set in.

 _"Let's put a real clock on this game Scott. I'll give you until the last 30 seconds. When that score board starts counting down from 30 and you still haven't given me Derek, Jackson is going to kill someone."_ My eyes went to Jackson immediately and he picked his head up, acknowledging the command.

 _"So tell me Scott, whose going to die tonight? Should it be your mother who so bravely came out to support you? Or the Sheriff, your best friends father? I see that you've managed to keep Maggie and the pretty little redhead far enough out of reach but I think there are ways of hurting them without them even being here."_ I closed my eyes tightly and remembered what Allison's mom once told me. The Omega's rarely survive on their own. I couldn't do this alone but all the help I needed wasn't here.

 _"How about one of these innocent teenagers with their whole lives ahead of them. Or should I do everyone a favor and kill that ridiculous coach."_ Coach sat a few seats away from me biting his nails utterly clueless.

 _"It's up to you Scott but you are going to help me take Derek down because if you don't I'll have Jackson rip someone's head off right in the middle of the field and drench everyone you care about in blood."_ I felt my rage building and I tried to control my wolf from bubbling to the surface at the threat. I jumped when the ref blew the whistle to start the game. I kept my eyes on the field so I would be ready for Jackson's attack but it was hard to focus when Stiles was getting his ass kicked by the other team. He'd gotten plowed four times in the first few minutes of the game. I don't know if it was nerves or what but it looked like he forgot how to play the game altogether. He kept looking over at me and the parking lot and I suddenly knew where his head was at.

Someone slid onto the bench next to me and I was surprised to see it was Isaac. He was completely dressed out in his uniform and breathing heavy.

"You came to help?" I questioned hopeful and he laughed.

"Well technically Maggie sent me but you said you'd have my back. I figured it's only fair to have yours too." He shrugged.

"I also came to win." He grinned as he looked behind me towards Gerard. He looked back at the both of us and looked unhappy to see I had some legit backup.

"Maggie's on her way." I whipped my head back to Isaac who sat back surprised.

"No! She needs to stay away. Gerard will try and kill her if she's here. He want's Derek." Isaac shook his head.

"Relax, she's making a stop to grab a few essentials. She'll be fine as long as we're here. Her best chance is to be away from Derek right?" I thought about what Isaac said for a moment and nodded. He was right. I could protect her if she was here and she could help me protect the others.

The game continued to get progressively worse and the clock was ticking down faster than I'd hoped. Isaac nudged me as Gerard looked over at us again.

"Got any bright ideas yet?" He asked pulling on his gloves.

"Nah right now all I can really do is make sure Jackson doesn't kill anyone." I said watching Jackson run up and down the field.

"That might be a bit easier if you were actually in the game. We have to make it so Coach doesn't have any other option but to play you." Isaac kept eying the bench and I shook my head.

"How do we do that? He's got a bench full of guys before he'd ever put me in." I looked at the guys on the bench before realizing what Isaac was thinking. When I looked at him, he had a devious smirk on his face.

"Can you do it without putting anyone in the hospital?" I asked hopeful but he frowned.

"I can try but if all else fails, Maggie can be a candy striper and pay the boys a visit." Isaac pulled on his helmet and went out on the field. He immediately started picking out guys to injure and the moment the whistle blew he started taking guys out.

"LAHEY SERIOUSLY! WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM!?" Coach yelled after Isaac managed to take out 3 guys in under minute. Isaac just smiled and shrugged at Coach as he continued to play the game.

"Oh it looks like things just got interesting Scott. Game on." Gerard's voice sounded in my head making me look around. Maggie and Lydia were together as they ran up towards the bleachers.

"Dammit." I hoped she wouldn't make it but when she saw me, she waved Lydia over to join the Sheriff and my mom on the bleachers before running over to me.

"You shouldn't be here. It's not safe." I said to her as she sat down.

"It's not safe for anyone. I already told you I'm done with letting everyone else fight for me. What's the situation?" She asked looking at the field as Isaac clobbered someone else.

"Jesus! He knows that was Tony right? He's on our team." She covered her mouth.

"Yeah he's trying to injure enough guys so Coach will have to put me in." I explained seeing her cock her eyebrow.

"That's the best you guys could come up with?" She asked with a tone of judgement.

"We don't have many options. Gerard said he's going to give me until the last 30 seconds of the game to make a decision or he'll have Jackson kill someone." Maggie kept her eyes on me.

"And he wants Derek." She finished. I nodded at her knowing that she would never give up Derek and she'd hate me if I did as well.

"Then we protect the people on the field." She kept her eyes out on the field and just as Isaac went to take someone else out, Jackson took him out making us both jump to our feet. The ref blew the whistle and Maggie ran out onto the field with me.

"Are you alright?" She asked looking him over.

"Yeah yeah, it's not broken but I think he cut me. I can't move my leg and I can feel the venom spreading." Isaac gritted out.

"They're going to take you to the locker room and check you out. Use my phone and call Boyd. We're going to need more help." Maggie said sliding her phone into Isaac's hand.

 _"You want to play chess Scott then you'll have to sacrifice your own pawns."_ Maggie and I both looked at Gerard. She was tuned into him now and I knew she was pissed by the growl that she tried to hide. I gripped her arm and looked at her.

"Keep it together Mags." I reeled her in as Coach threw my equipment at me.

"McCall, you're in or we forfeit. Thanks for finally showing up Stevens." Coach threw his hands up walking back towards the bench.

"Be careful Scott. I mean it. I'll keep an eye out for Gerard but you've got to focus on you. Jackson could just as easily hurt you." Maggie helped me put on my gloves. My mom ran out on the field and looked at the both of us.

"Something's happening isn't it? Something more than a lacrosse game." She hadn't touched me since that night in the jail but she had her hand on my arm.

"You should go." I said firmly knowing this wasn't a safe place for her.

"Oh I'm not going anywhere. Everything I said before, forget it. All of it. You're my kids and I love you no matter what package you're in. If you can do something to help then you do it. You have to." She looked me in the eyes and didn't back away terrified. I felt something inside of me mend.

"I will." I said confidently with more purpose than ever before.

"No...we will. Together." Maggie put my helmet on my head and patted it.

"Kick some ass Scotty." She took my mom's hand and rushed off the field as I turned to search for Jackson. If Gerard wanted a fight, he had one.

**[Maggie's POV]**

I sat down on the bench next to Melissa and Lydia feeling the emotions of everyone surrounding me. The anxiety, the excitement, the fear. It was all very overwhelming but I knew I had to stay focused. I kept my eyes on Gerard the whole time making sure he didn't go anywhere.

"You made it just in time! Stiles is going to be thrilled that you're here. He had a rough start but maybe he'll relax now that you're here." I looked over at the Sheriff confused.

"Where is he?" I asked not sure what the Sheriff was talking about.

"He's on the field." I looked out onto the field and felt my eyes go wide.

"On this field?" I searched the field immediately.

"What other field would he be on?" Lydia asked stupidly. I caught sight of him and felt my stomach drop as he got run over by a guy three times his size. I jumped to my feet quickly and covered my mouth. I waited a few moments for him to get up and he finally rolled to his side and shook his head a few times.

"STILINSKI! YOU GOOD?" Coach yelled making him get to his feet and put his hand up.

"God you stupid boy." I put my hand on my forehead worried about him.

"It's a rough sport Maggie. He'll be okay." Lydia rubbed my back trying to reassure me but I shook my head.

"Well who let the dump truck on the field? I mean there's no way that guy is a high school student. He's a freaking Marvel character for crying out loud." I complained worried about Stiles well-being. With his luck, he survive the crap with Jackson and end up hurt from the game. There were ten minutes on the clock and Stiles was on the field with a murderous lizard. My anxiety was in full swing as I kept my eyes on him.

"Maggie...he's gone." Melissa patted my arm.

"What?" I didn't look over at her but when she gripped my hand I did.

"Gerard...he's gone." My eyes followed over to where Gerard was once standing. I silently cursed myself for getting distracted before standing up.

"Stay here." I said to Lydia who took my seat next to Melissa. I ran down to the Coach and quickly drew up a play that could get him to call a timeout.

"Coach! You should get them to try this. Those guys are huge and the only way you'll be able to penetrate through the defense is if you use distractions." I handed him the clipboard and he looked it over before patting my back.

"It's good to have you back Stevens. TIME OUT!" He yelled. I ran over to Scott and he took his helmet off.

"I lost Gerard. Isaac is unprotected. I've got to-" Scott cut me off.

"No! You stay out here. If he's going after Isaac, he won't be alone. I'll take care of it, just keep your eyes on Jackson and don't let him anywhere near my mom." Scott said before running off towards the school. I paced on the sidelines as the team went back into the game. It only took the Coach a few minutes to realize that Scott wasn't on the field but I just shrugged when he asked where he was. I kept my eyes on Stiles. I couldn't let him get hurt. The rest of the team ran the play and when the ball rolled back towards the middle field I realized it had stopped right in front of his foot.

"Oh shit." I said out loud. Stiles looked around to see if anyone else saw the ball resting at his feet and I wanted to scream when he picked it up and started running towards their net.

"AHHHHHHHH!" He let out the scream I wish I had as he glanced back at the humongous players chasing after him.

"Come on Stiles! Come on!" I said clenching my fists together. He stopped when he got close to the net and looked back over his shoulder.

"STILINSKI YOU IDIOT! SHOOT THE BALL!" Stiles looked around for someone to help him, anyone to take this game changer out of his hands but I couldn't help myself anymore.

"STILES! SHOOT IT!" He looked over at me surprised.

"SHOOT IT!" I repeated and he flicked his stick hard making the ball sail into the net. Everyone cheered, his father stood up and threw his fist in the air as I jumped up and down in front of the bench.

"YEAH STILES!" I cheered overjoyed.

"I scored a goal? I SCORED A GOAL!" Stiles ran towards me and wrapped my in a hug jumping up and down.

"STILINSKI! STEVENS! THAT'S ENOUGH! GET BACK IN THE GAME!" Coach yelled making Stiles let me go.

"You can do this!" I said putting my hand on his chest.

"I can do this." He repeated shaking his head trying to keep up his motivation. He started to run back onto the field but turned back and looked at me as he ran.

"YOU'RE GOING ON A DATE WITH A STATE CHAMP!" He yelled making the crowd cheer. I felt a blush creep over my cheeks and clapped my hands together. Stiles wasted no time getting the ball again and sprinting towards the goal, he jetted to the side to avoid one of the other guys and spun around another before shooting another goal. The crowd was going nuts. I was going nuts. I felt this unbelievable pride swelling in my chest and I couldn't help the random tears forming behind my eyes as I smiled at him. Stiles had told me once how inadequate he felt because he was merely a human but he was so wrong. He was so much more than that. He was extraordinary beyond measures and in this very moment, it felt like the world was slowing down enough for him to take it in and actually see that in himself. He looked back at me and smiled as I gazed at him in awe. The boy I've been utterly head over heels with for my whole life didn't need superhuman strength or epic healing power. He was already a Lionheart all his own and I couldn't be more proud of him.

Stiles scored three more goals as Scott ran up next to me.

"Isaac's safe but he can't reach Erica or Boyd." Scott breathed.

"Where's Gerard?" I asked seeing how frantic Scott looked.

"I don't know, I lost him." His eyes went to the clock as it started to count down the final seconds.

"We're out of time." I breathed looking towards Lydia, Melissa and John. Scott kept his eyes on the field as I scanned over the crowd looking for any signs of Gerard but I couldn't hear him, I couldn't catch his scent. There were too many people, too many emotions. The last ten seconds counted down and the buzzer rang out making Scott and I freeze. He gripped my hand preparing for the worst but as everyone cheered we realized nothing was happening.

"Nothing happened...nothing." Scott said looking at me. The moment I looked back at him and chuckled, the lights started going out on the field. A scream tore through the sounds of terrified people running around us in the dark and Scott gripped my hand tighter.

_"MAGGIE!"_

_"SCOTT!"_

Melissa and Lydia called out for us, people brushed past us in the panic and everything started to slow down.

"Don't let go of my hand." Scott said pulling me towards him. He seemed terrified.

"SCOTT!" Melissa ran past us and Scott dropped my hand to stop her.

"MAGGIE! MAGGIE WHERE ARE YOU!?" Lydia cried out and I followed her voice. She jumped when I grabbed her hand.

"What's going on!? What's happening?!" Lydia asked looking at me in the darkness.

"I don't know but don't you let go of my hand okay?! Do you hear me?!" She nodded her head quickly as the lights went back up. Our eyes fell to the body lying in the middle of the field.

"Oh my God." I put my hand to my mouth and knew who it was just from the scent of the blood.

"Jackson...JACKSON! WHAT'S HAPPENING!?" Lydia started running towards Jackson and I followed her making sure to pull her back when she finally saw him up close and personal.

"WE NEED A MEDIC!" Coach yelled as Melissa pushed through the team to get to Jackson.

"You promised! You promised me everything would be alright!" Lydia cried tugging on my arm. I didn't know what to say I hugged her tightly and stared down at Melissa as she started to work on Jackson. Isaac walked out and stood next to Scott.

"He's not breathing, no pulse." Melissa lifted his shirt up and saw his torso was covered in blood.

"Oh my God! There's blood. There's blood." Lydia was crying as Melissa started CPR.

"Get down here. GET DOWN HERE, tilt his head up." She said and Lydia dropped to her knees to help her try and save Jackson. I caught sight of the Sheriff running around on the field and took a step back.

"Stiles...has anyone seen Stiles?" He asked until he reached the team.

"Where's Stiles? Where's my son? WHERE'S STILES!? WHERE THE HELL IS MY SON!?" He yelled hysterical. Scott and Isaac started to look around the field as my heart sank. I took my eyes off of him. I took my eyes off of him and now he was missing.

Gerard had taken Stiles.


	14. The Real Monsters

**[Scott's POV]**

They'd taken Jackson's body away in an ambulance. It was hard to wrap my head around the fact that he killed himself in order to save everyone else. He'd never been so selfless before. Mom had gone to the hospital with his body and the Sheriff was in a panic the moment we found out Stiles was missing. We paced around the locker room, unable to be jazzed about the championship win but none of that mattered. I knew Gerard had Stiles. It only makes sense for him to take Stiles because I wouldn't give up Derek.

"I've got to meet with the medical examiner to figure out what happened to Jackson. There's an APB out on Stiles, his jeep is still in the parking lot so that means…hell I don't know what that means." I felt terrible that he was worrying about Stiles. It was all my fault.

"If he answers his phone or emails…if you see him-" Isaac cut him off.

"We'll call you." John nodded at him.

"Look he's probably just freaked from all the attention. I know he was pretty excited about his date with Maggie tonight so maybe he's trying to calm down a bit." I hated lying to his dad but that seemed to make him relax a bit.

"Yeah let's hope so." He looked down at his notepad nervously.

"We'll find him." I assured and that wasn't a lie. I would find Stiles and I would make sure he was safe. The Sheriff nodded at me once more before touching my arm.

"I'll see you." He walked out of the locker room and I let out a sigh but it was short lived when the Coach now stood in the vacant spot.

"McCall, look we need you on the team okay? You know I can't put you on the field if you don't get your grades up." Coach wasn't trying to bust me out. He genuinely seemed concerned. What happened to Jackson on the field rocked him, it rocked all of us.

"I know Coach." I said thinking he would take some comfort in knowing I would try and do better but he shook his head.

"I know I yell at you guys a lot but it's not like I hate you…well except for Greenberg but that's different, you know? It's Greenberg." He chuckled lightly.

"I'm just saying we…I need you on the team. Get your grades back up." HE pointed at my chest and I shook my head.

"I will." I honestly planned to. I wanted to do better, be better. I felt like school wasn't the only thing I was failing at these days and I wanted to make it right. First I had to find my best friend and take down the guy who was hurting the people of Beacon Hills. We waited long enough for the locker room to clear out before breaking into Stiles locker and pulling out some of his clothes.

"You're going to find him by scent?" Isaac asked me surprised.

"Yeah we both are. You've got my back and I've got yours right?" I reminded him making him roll his eyes.

"How come you get his shirt and I get his shoe?" He complained as I noticed Derek standing across the room. I hit Isaac's arm turning him around.

"We need to talk." Derek looked pissed but when Peter came around the corner in the flesh, I felt my jaw drop.

"All of us." He smirked that same evil smirk I remembered so well. I still had that night he killed Maggie burned into my brain. It would never leave me.

"Holy shit…what the hell is this?" I walked towards Derek keeping my eyes on Peter.

"You know, I thought the same thing when I saw you talking to Gerard at the Sheriff's station." Derek wanted to play this game now when Stiles was missing? Sometimes his timing made me want to punch him.

"Okay hold on, he threatened to kill my mom and I had to get close to him to figure out what his endgame was but let's not forget what that total psycho did." I pointed over Derek's shoulder.

"Again, not a total psycho but surprisingly I'm going to go with Scott. Have you seen his mom? She's gorgeous." Peter's words made my chest heat up.

"SHUT UP!" Derek and I said at the same time. Isaac leaned into my shoulder.

"Who is he?" I forgot that Isaac hadn't met Peter yet. He knew what happened to Maggie but he'd never had the displeasure of actually meeting him.

"That's Peter, Maggie's biological father. Little while back he tried to kill us all, managed to rip his own daughter's heart out before we set him on fire and Derek slashed his throat." Peter held up his hand.

"Hi." He said simply.

"Good to know. I guess this means Maggie wasn't just having nightmares then." Isaac kept his eyes on Peter.

"You're Isaac, the other suitor. I've heard a lot about you…well I've eavesdropped…read a few journal entries. Maggie speaks highly of you." It didn't shock me that Peter had been creeping around Maggie, I just wished I knew how the hell he was back.

"Yeah…you're definitely as creepy as I imagined you would be." Isaac said with an uncomfortable smile.

"Does she know? Does she know he's-" I started to question but Derek cut me off.

"Yes she knows but when you're all done with your awkward meet and greet, it'd be nice to get to the point. He knows how to stop Jackson, maybe even save him so right now we just have to put up with him." Derek huffed.

"Well that sounds like a great plan but Jackson's dead." Derek and Peter's eyebrows went up at Isaac's admission.

"What?" Derek questioned.

"It just happened on the field." I explained further seeing Peter's face turn to something I hadn't ever seen before. Panic.

"Okay why is no one taking this as good news?" Isaac asked.

"Because if Jackson's dead, it didn't just happen. Gerard wanted it to happen." Peter stepped towards Derek.

"But why? If Jackson was his only weapon then why destroy it?" Derek shook his head. It was killing me that he was actually working with Peter right now, after everything that had happened.

"Well that's exactly what we need to figure out. Something tells me that the window of opportunity is closing." Peter explained.

"Maybe that's why he took Stiles. To bait you out?" Isaac offered.

"Wait, Gerard took Stiles?" Derek asked. I hated that we had to explain everything to him. He should have been here.

"Yeah he went missing after Jackson went down." I said rubbing the back of my neck.

"Where's Maggie?" Peter asked eying me.

"She's with Melissa." Isaac said but I turned to look at him.

"No she's not she's with Lydia." I corrected but Isaac shook his head.

"Lydia was with Jackson's parents." Peter stepped closer to us.

"WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER?!" Peter boomed stepping in my face. I shoved him backwards into Derek.

"You're daughter?! It's a joke to even hear you call her that!" I yelled right back and Peter came at me with his claws. I didn't back down but Derek and Isaac tried to keep us separated.

"You knew this maniac was roaming around trying to pick people off and you let her out of your sight? What kind of best friend are you? Haven't you learned anything from your past failures?" Peter growled.

"You're one to talk about failures!" Isaac was struggling to hold me back as I thrashed against his hold.

"ENOUGH! BOTH OF YOU!" Derek finally yelled loud enough to make us both stop. I shrugged Isaac off but I could feel him staring at me. My heart was beating so fast with anger towards Peter I completely forgot that Maggie was now missing too.

"If Gerard has Stiles than that means Maggie probably went after him." Derek said looking between the both of us.

"Without Jackson, he'd need a powerful weapon. Maggie would fit that description wouldn't she?" Isaac asked putting his hand on my arm. I unclenched my jaw and looked away from Peter to Derek.

"We need to hurry up if we're going to figure out what Gerard is up to." Peter rushed.

"Don't you mean save Maggie?" I spat knowing that he truly didn't care about Maggie.

"Of course." He smirked again and I wanted to tear his face off. I'll never forgive myself for not believing Maggie before. I should have known that what she was seeing was real. I could have helped her. I could have protected her.

**[Stiles POV]**

The moment the bag went over my head and I was shoved into a van, I knew I was in trouble. I tried to keep track of how long I'd been carried, all the turns the van made but when it stopped not even 15 minutes from the school I got a bit confused. There's no way a kidnapper would just take me 15 minutes away. I was yanked out of the van and pushed through a door before they pulled the bag from my head.

I was standing at the top of a dark staircase. I didn't know if I was in a house or a building, a warehouse or storage unit. I just knew it was underground.

"Move it." I was shoved from behind by a guy who couldn't have smiled a day in his life with a scowl that strong. He pushed me towards a set of stairs that led to a dark basement but I couldn't adjust my eyes quick enough to find the stairs. I slipped when he shoved me again and tumbled down the remaining steps. I landed on my face and felt the pain in my back and arms from the fall but the goon that shoved me merely chuckled and shut the door.

"Dick." I muttered getting to my feet of the dark room. My only relief in the whole situation was that if they'd kidnapped me then everyone else was safe. The sound of a whimper made me jump. I wasn't alone down here. I ran my hand across the wall looking for a light switch and when I found it, I almost wished I hadn't.

Boyd and Erica were tied up to the ceiling with black and red wires.

"Oh God..." I ran towards them and Boyd gesture to Erica with his eyes.

"Calm down I'm going to get you down." I put my finger to my lips trying to calm Erica but she shook her head at me. I put my hands on the wires and got a hell of a shock that made both Erica and I both yelp.

"They were trying to warn you it's electrified." Gerard made his way down the steps and I shook my hand out pissed off.

"What are you doing to them?" I asked moving to stand in front of them.

"At the moment, keeping them comfortable. There's not point in torturing them. They won't give Derek up. The instinct to protect their alpha is too strong which is why you're here." He leaned against the wall as he eyed me strangely like I wasn't s a threat.

"What exactly do you need me for? Scott can find me, he knows my scent. It's pungent you know? It's actually more like a stench. He could find me even if I was buried at the bottom of a sewer covered with fecal matter and urine…" I was rambling but all that was doing was making him chuckle.

"You sure know how to create a vivid picture Mr. Stilinski but it's not Scott that I'm hoping to draw out. I'm on a bit of a time crunch though so I may need to provide more incentive." Gerard walked towards me clenching his jaw.

"You don't want Scott…you want Maggie." I swallowed the lump in my throat and watched the corner of his mouth turn up. If he wanted to get to Derek, all he'd have to do is get Maggie.

"I won't let you hurt her." I stepped towards him firmly.

"I don't think you really have a choice in the matter. You're merely a pawn in all this, I'm afraid." He stepped into my space and I looked him over.

"What are you like 90? I could probably kick your ass all over this-" This time it wasn't a backhand but an actual punch. I don't think I'd ever been hit that hard in my life. The blow sent me to the floor and I could hear ringing in my ears.

"Okay wait." I heard how dazed I sounded as he grabbed me up by my jersey and hit me again and again. I could smell the blood from the broken skin on my cheek and the copper taste filled my mouth when my tooth caught my lip, splitting it. I thought I heard noise coming from upstairs but I wasn't sure if that was because I was currently being pummeled into oblivion by a geriatric. It was her voice that made me realize it was real.

"STOP! I'm here! I'm here STOP IT!" Maggie screamed desperately as Gerard jerked me around like a rag doll.

"Maggie…get out of here!" I pleaded with her spitting some blood onto the floor.

"Look I'm alone and unarmed. Let him go and I'll give you what you want." Maggie said making Gerard look at her.

"What makes you think you know what I want?" Gerard tested in his raspy voice.

"You took Stiles because you knew I would come after him. If my blood can't help you then the bite will. The only way you're getting either is if you let him go." Maggie challenged. Gerard released me and turned his full attention to Maggie.

"Young love is a very powerful tool. In the end, it's always about the sacrifice." Gerard grinned at Maggie as she let her eyes linger to me bleeding on the floor. He went up the stairs and Maggie ran towards me as I slide up to lean on the wall.

"Are you okay? Let me see." Maggie put her fingertips on my cheek and I shook my head.

"You need to get out of here now. I mean it. You shouldn't have come for me." I said trying to pull myself together.

"Stop fidgeting." Maggie tried to heal me but I pushed her hands away.

"Maggie stop! You've got to get out of here. He'll kill you." I raised my voice and she shook her head at me.

"He can't kill me. He needs me. You need to listen to me for a change okay? You aren't going to lose me but I need for you to get out of here. If he even thinks you'll tell your dad, he'll send guys after you. I need you to go home and keep your dad safe. I can take care of things here." Maggie used her index finger to wipe some of the blood off my lip.

"Please don't ask me to leave you here...please. We've done this before Maggie. You may not remember how it ended but I'll never forget." I shook my head knowing that I'd regret walking out of here without her. She frowned at me as I tried to keep from getting emotional. I'd already gotten my ass kicked, I didn't want her to see me crying like a baby too.

"No one is dying tonight Stiles. I promise you-" I shook my head.

"I don't believe you." She looked hurt by my words but it was the truth.

"You're a sacrificer Maggie. You will give your life for me, for them, for all of us without question. You'll promise me the world but all I want is for you to walk out of here with me. I love you too much to leave you behind again...not again." I didn't care if she could see my fear. I'd beg if I had to.

"I'm too in love with you to take that chance ever again." I swallowed the fear and her eyes fluttered at my confession. I'd never been able to really tell her that I didn't just love her. She knew I loved her but I could tell she was always worried I wasn't in love with her. I reached out to her but jumped when there was heavy feet moving across the floor above them. The door to the basement opened quickly and two large goons came running down towards us. A taser hit Maggie's back making her cry out in pain as she fell to the ground shaking.

"SON OF A BITCH!" I ran at the guy and was smacked back against the wall. Gerard came waltzing down the stairs and had the guy taser Maggie again. She let out a another scream before clenching her teeth together.

"Get her on the table. Get him upstairs." Gerard commanded and I started to fight back.

"NO! NO! MAGGIE! MAGGIE! LET ME GO! MAGGIE!" I fought against the guy as he wrenched my arms behind my back and lifted me off my feet to carry me up the stairs. I was punched in the mouth by Gerard one last time. I came to in the back of a van and Gerard had my chin in his hands.

"I want you to listen really closely because I know you're very smart and capable of understanding the situation at hand." Gerard pulled the tape from my mouth, taking the dried blood from my busted lip with is and reopening the wound.

"You're going to walk into your house and you're going to do what you kids do best. You're going to lie through your teeth and you're going to make your father believe it. I have no problem coming back here and making you an orphan like Maggie. If you want to keep her and your father and all your other little friends alive...you'll do what you're told." He snarled in my face and I held his gaze. Werewolves, witches and kanimas had nothing on the real monster that was Gerard Argent. He tossed me out of the van and pulled away leaving me to pick myself up and walk into the house. The jeep was parked down the street and dad's car was in the driveway which meant he was home.

I started moving my legs unwillingly towards the front door and felt every ache and pain in my body start to twinge. My chest felt tight like I wanted to scream or cry but I couldn't. I opened the unlocked door and could hear dad pacing around in my bedroom as I climbed the stairs slowly and carefully.

"Yeah I'm not finding any clues here. Listen if he shows up at the hospital..." Dad's voice broke off to whoever he was talking to. I assumed it was Melissa. He hung up his phone, shaking his head.

"Come on Stiles, where the hell are you?" He whispered to himself. I cleared my throat as much as I could to form words and he looked at me.

"Right here." I found it hard to listen to my own voice. I didn't want to talk but the moment he looked at me, his eyes went wide. I had no idea how bad I looked from the beating but it was enough to send my dad into a full on panic.

"Dad...it's okay. Dad-" He gripped my neck and turned my face to look at the wound on my face.

"Who did it?" He turned to stone instantly.

"It's okay, it was just a couple of kids from the other team." I lied so quickly and easily that I'd become completely impervious to my own bullshit.

"There were pissed about losing and I...I was mouthing off. The next thing I know-" Dad cut me off.

"Who was it?!" He demanded.

"Dad I don't even know, I didn't even see them really." I watched his chest heave with anger.

"I want descriptions." He breathed and I shook my head remembering what Gerard had said.

"Dad it's not even that bad." I could feel my emotions catching up with me now.

"I'm calling that school, I'm calling them and I'm going to personally pistol whip these little bastards-" I couldn't take it anymore.

"DAD! I SAID...I said I was okay." My tone broke and I felt tears burn my eyes. He finally shook his head and pulled me into his chest to hug me. I held onto him and tried not to completely break down in his arms. I wasn't okay. He knew I wasn't okay but he had no idea just how far from okay I truly was.

**[Maggie's POV]**

I came to rubbing my back where I'd been stuck with the taser. I noticed the shackle on my ankle and let out a sigh before touching it. It burned my hand making me pull away.

"It's a special kind of wolfsbane. You aren't the only one who owns a book of tricks." I looked up to see Allison standing at attention, sharpening ring daggers. She smirked like Gerard had early when I had surrounded and my mind went to Stiles. I could only hope that he'd been returned home safely. Now my next order of business was getting Boyd and Erica out of here. They kept their eyes between Allison and I.

"I have to say, I couldn't have planned this any better. I knew you would come for them. Your selfless nature is actually a weakness." She looked away from me and I wondered for a moment if she knew about Gerard kidnapping Stiles. I knew that Allison had let him get in her head but just how far into the darkness he'd taken her was the real question. I looked over Boyd and Erica and could see dried blood on their skin and clothes.

"So this is your handy work huh?" I questioned making her shrug.

"I tracked them, trapped them and filled them with arrows. My grandfather had them strung up." She explained. I shook my head at her.

"You must be real proud. I'm sure your mother would be too." Allison's jaw tightened. She walked over towards the metal box that sat on the table and turned the knob causing sparks from the ceiling and the lights flickered. Erica and Boyd started hissing in pain and I realized what she was doing.

"OKAY OKAY! STOP! I'M SORRY!" I apologized quickly and she turned the knob back down making them slump slightly.

"You've got me, why do you even need them?" I threw my hand out.

"They certainly keep you from doing anything stupid twice." Allison picked the daggers back up.

"That's who you are now? You torture kids...because that's what you're doing right now." I reminded her.

"Oh please, kids who have tried to kill not only me but Lydia. They're hardly innocent so try another angle." Allison rolled her eyes at me.

"You don't need them for me to cooperate. Let them go and I'll do whatever Gerard wants me to do." Allison chuckled at my plea.

"You aren't really in the position to make deals." She said confidently.

"You want Derek...he'll come for me. Please Allison...Gerard will kill them. They didn't do anything. Let them go." She stared at me for a few moments and let her eyes linger on Boyd and Erica. It only sat in her mind for a few moments before she looked back at me, chin held high and eyes clear of any emotion other than bitterness.

"I'm in charge here." She dismissed me. I let out a heavy sigh of frustration.

"Oh God you actually believe that?" I breathed knowing that arguing with her could get Boyd and Erica hurt.

"BECAUSE I AM! You think just because I'm a human, I can't destroy you? Destroy all of you?! I can and I will." Allison approached me.

"Destroy us? There's no doubt you can destroy us just like we can destroy you but it has nothing to do with being human or werewolf!" I shouted back watching her pull back slightly.

"Derek is the reason my mother is dead. Someone is going to pay for that." She seethed. I could actually feel her anger. It made my stomach turn.

"Who pays for my mother huh? Your mom, my mom, Karen…they died trying to protect us and look at the people we've become. Battling one another to settle some sort of score." I watched her face change at the mention of our mothers. It was the truth. All the people that wanted to protect us were slowly getting picked off and the pit of darkness it left behind only grew larger by the day.

"That's the thing about vengeance. We can slaughter each other but it doesn't bring them back…it doesn't make the void go away. We just let the darkness win. We become the real monsters." She looked away from me when the door to the basement opened. Gerard walked down slowly with a smile on his face.

"I see you've been keeping our guests company. That'll be all for now. Go and try to get some sleep. I'll wake you when it's time." He kissed Allison's forehead and she looked stunned that he was dismissing her but she didn't argue. She walked up the stairs and glanced back at me. I held her eye contact until she shut the door with a slam. Gerard put his hands in his pockets before taking a seat where Allison had just gotten up from.

"You'll be happy to know that Mr. Stilinski has returned home safely to his father." He said making me close my eyes slowly.

"On your feet." He growled as I stood up slowly. He tossed me the key to the cuff on my ankle and I unlocked it. He held out his hand gesturing for me to walk in the direction of another door. I thought it might be a bathroom but when he opened the door, I saw a metal slab that was meant to strap someone down.

"You can either go voluntarily or I can kill one of your pack right now." Gerard threatened in my ear. I looked back at Erica and Boyd, Erica was crying and Boyd was shaking his head at me.

"Can I have a moment with them, please?" I asked seeing him smirk at my weakness. I walked over to Erica and wiped the tears from under her eyes.

"You listen to me okay? You're going to get out of here and I want you two to run as far and as fast as you can." Erica shook her head sobbing more.

"Stop crying right now. You're stronger than this. You're a fighter." I felt hot tears prick my own eyes and I shook them off.

"I love you very much. You will always be my sister." My voice broke and I cleared my throat to push the raw croak down before kissing her forehead. I put my hand on Boyd's chest and his eyes looked at me desperately, pleading for me not to go into that room.

"Get out of Beacon Hills, be in love and don't ever look back. That's an order." I watched a tear roll down Boyd's cheek and I wiped it away quickly.

"I love you both." I whispered before walking away and going into the room, committing to whatever Gerard had planned for me. I felt the white, hot pain of the taser in my back again and slumped onto the table. I must have blacked out for a few moments because when I woke up I was strapped to the table with the same cuffs that burned my skin slowly but now I was without my clothes. I still had underwear and a strapless bra on but most of my skin was completely exposed. I looked over to the table Gerard was standing in front of and saw it was loaded with sharp objects. The smell of wolfsbane and other bitter poisons filled my senses.

"I told you I would try and help you with my magic. This isn't necessary." I reminded earning a throaty chuckle.

"Oh I wasn't born yesterday Ms. Stevens. Magic can be very tricky. The bite is how I'll be curing myself." Gerard picked up a knife and touched the tip of the blade.

"Then what is all this for?" I dared ask making him look down at me.

"This is for my daughter. I may not be able to kill you but I can make you wish you were dead. I'd rather return you broken beyond repair than dead. I know how much you mean to your pack, both Scott and Derek would be lost without you being their guiding light. I plan to burn that light out." Gerard explained before pulling a leather strap over my mouth and securing it tightly. I tried to fight against the bindings that held me but the more I fought, the more it felt like my skin was on fire.

"You know the thing about torturing a werewolf is that if you don't do it right then there's no real point. Its all in the weaponry." I watched him carefully as he walked towards me with two blades, one in each hand. My ribs started to ache from how hard my heart was beating.

"Poisoned blades work the best. If I were to stab you with a regular blade, like this." He held up a silver blade that was smooth on both sides before jamming it into my side, tearing through the skin and muscles. I groaned from the agonizing intrusion. My body instantly tried to heal but he left the blade in for a little longer before pulling it out and tearing through all the muscle that had healed around it. I relax back on the table for a moment feeling the relief of my body healing.

"It would simple heal over. But if I use a wolfsbane infused blade then the wound won't heal. It'll even burn through the blood stream. For normal wolves, it would have to be treated rather quickly so it doesn't reach the heart." I watched him play with the second blade which was very different from the first. It was longer, thicker and had ridges along both sides.

"However the normal rules don't apply to you. You're the Nyvolore. Strong, capable, fearless. You're indestructible." He chuckled darkly as he circled me. I tensed up knowing that would only make it hurt worse but I knew it was coming. He didn't want to kill me, he wanted me to feel pain. I clenched my hands open and shut as he leaned closer to my face.

"That doesn't mean I can't try to take you apart piece by piece until you're begging for a death that will never come." He seethed through gritted teeth before slicing through the skin on my thighs. This time I couldn't hold back my screams. They were muffled by the leather strap but the pain was more than anything I'd ever felt. My blood poured from the gashes and my body felt like it was catching fire from the poison that now flowed through my veins. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly trying to go someplace else in my head as the slices kept coming. Across my stomach, up my arms and over my chest. I thought of Stiles. The way his face looked when he slept, the way his arms rested when he drove the jeep, how his lips moved when he read to himself, the feeling of his hands on my face. For brief moments, I wasn't on the table. I was with Stiles and there was no pain, no suffering.

Breathing was becoming almost impossible behind the leather strap and surprisingly Gerard released it as I cried out, sweat running down my forehead and into my tears burning my eyes. All I could smell with blood and the bitter smell of the poison pumping through my body. Gerard coughed into a tissue and tossed it into the trashcan.

"What's the matter? Getting tired old man?" I taunted him in fear that he'd get tired of torturing me and go after Erica and Boyd. He turned around grabbing a handful of silver spikes and proceeded to drive each on of them through my hands and feet. I could actually feel them crack through the bones and somehow lock into the table. Only an Argent would keep a collapsible torture table in their basement. I laughed out loud unable to cry out any longer from how raw my throat was from screaming.

"You know, I don't ever remember meeting your mother. I did meet your aunt Caroline. She was strong too." I cut my eyes at Gerard. I was on the verge of going into shock and he wanted to chat about my family?

"If you're about to confess to killing her then-" He clicked his tongue to his teeth.

"On the contrary, your aunt was the one who agreed to never let you become a werewolf but I imagine once she was killed, the others let that agreement fall to the waist side. You could have stayed out of all of this." Gerard said. I listened to his heart and he appeared to be telling the truth but I still didn't trust him.

"Why would I believe a word you say about my family? You've got me nailed to a table." I growled at him bitterly.

"I will happily confess that we were responsible for the fire at the Hale mansion and I did order Kate to take out your aunt Karen but the others...we had nothing to do with. Whether you choose to believe that or not is entirely up to you." I felt a sinking feeling my chest. Mom had said Peter didn't kill her, the only other suspect was the Argent's. If they really had nothing to do with my mom's, Evie and Caroline's murder then that meant the killer was still out there. I didn't see Gerard stick a needle into my arm but the moment he injected me with something I felt my legs go numb.

"What did you do?! What did you...what did..." I felt my entire body starting to shut down like I was being paralyzed.

"This is an old drug that we used to use on omegas. It's experimental of course but in just a moment you'll start to feel-" I let out a blood curdling scream as my veins started to throb. I felt like my skin was going to start melting as the drug spread throughout my body. The lights flickered in the room and I knew Boyd and Erica were responding to my cries of pain.

"STOP PLEASE! STOP!" I screamed as I felt blood rising in my throat.

"Say it. SAY IT!" Gerard growled in my face and I knew what he wanted.

"KILL ME! KILL ME! KILL ME!" I begged feeling weak but the pain was too much. In that moment, death would have been a sweet relief but I knew that wasn't the plan. Gerard pulled out his phone and looked at a message he must have received.

"Looks like our time is up. I'll be sure to send your regards to Derek myself." Gerard walked out of the room leaving me to deal with the pain and shock that the drugs were sending my body into. I felt tears rolling out of my eyes knowing that he was going after Derek and there was nothing I could do but lie here, wishing I was dead. The fire in my veins kept me screaming even after he left and ever so often the lights would flicker. I'd scream for them to stop moving but eventually shock wore me down and I passed out.

When I opened my eyes, my vision was blurry. My eyelids were heavy and my entire body was numb. I wanted to talk to Erica or Boyd but I couldn't. I couldn't get my voice to be above a whisper and the only thing I could think to do was sing.

"Little star, so you had to go. You must have wanted him to know. You must have wanted the world to know. Poor little thing.  
Now they know." I kept my eyes on a spot on the ceiling as I whispered the song to myself, blinking slowly and using entirely too much energy to do so.

 _"I've been trying to get you to smile since you opened your eyes and all it took was a song._ " I knew I was hallucinating. Stiles had gotten out of here and I had been bleeding out for about an hour now. I remember exactly when he'd said those words to me. The day he'd taken me for a ride to pull me from the darkness I'd fallen into after he brought me back. He had been trying so desperately to make me want to live and over the last few months he'd succeeded. It was all bittersweet now that I was lying on this hard table in shambles.

"I'm so tired Stiles...I'm so tired." I breathed blinking once more and feeling like it was literally taking all the strength I had left just to do so.

 _"I know you are but I'm right here okay? Every thing is going to be okay. I'm right here."_ The words repeated in my head and when I closed my eyes tightly, he was gone. He let my head fall to the side and I just tried to keep breathing steadily through the pain. I didn't know how long I'd laid there, I didn't know what was going on with the others but when I heard footsteps coming down the stairs in the next room I was too out of it to panic. I was done.

"You know my families done this a long time. Long enough to know that there is a certain level of electric current that can keep a werewolf from transforming, another level that you can't heal, a level higher and you've got no supernatural strength. That kind of scientific accuracy makes you wonder where the line between natural and the supernatural really exists." It was Chris Argent. He was talking to Erica and Boyd and judging by their heartbeats, they were terrified.

"It's when lines like that blur, you sometimes find yourself surprised by what side you find yourself on." I heard Erica groan and then there was a loud snapping sound. The door to the room opened and Boyd rushed in looking utterly wrecked. Erica ran into Boyd's back and covered a sob that escaped her mouth just upon seeing me. Her makeup was running and she was breathing heavy.

"We've got to get you out of here." Boyd looked at my hands and realized the task was going to be much harder than it sounded.

"I told you...to go." I breathed.

"We aren't leaving you here." Erica cried stroking my hair. Boyd tried to pull the dagger out of my hand and I screamed.

"Please...please just go." I begged.

"Maggie...I can't leave you here. I won't." I wanted to badly to touch Boyd's face and make his frown disappear but I couldn't.

"You don't have time...leave me. I told you before...get out of Beacon Hills tonight." I said as firmly as I could.

"Go." The two of them turned towards the door as Chris Argent looked at me shocked and appalled by my condition. Boyd started to wolf out and I used all that I had in me to yell.

"BOYD!" I started coughing horribly, tasting the blood once more and Boyd turned his attention back to me.

"Get out of here and I will release her from the table to get her to safety. I don't know when they'll be back but I can't be caught trying to get all three of you out." Chris said moving towards the table.

"Boyd...I'm ordering you to go." Boyd sniffled and knelt down next to me.

"You aren't my alpha. You can't-" I cut him off.

"I'm your friend and I'm telling you to trust me. Both of you get out of here. I will see you again. I promise." I looked at Boyd and he got to his feet, kissing my forehead before looking back at Chris Argent.

"Hurry." He pushed. Boyd took Erica's hand and they both ran out of the room to hopefully get as far from Beacon Hills as they could. I was now left with Chris Argent standing over me looking me over.

"He did this to you?" He asked in disgust as he put his hand on the dagger of my right hand. I just looked up at him unsure of whether or not I could really trust him to help me. He twisted the dagger and pulled it out before I could let another scream out.

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry." He said as he walked around and did the same to my other hand and my feet. My limbs felt too heavy to lift. I couldn't even begin to consider moving my body but he walked out of the room and returned with a pile of clothes.

"I didn't think he would take things this far. We have a code. We've always had a code." Chris watched as my wounds struggled to heal. He paced as he pulled my shirt back over my head. Just the leaning me up took my breath away.

"Easy...easy now." He noticed the syringe on the table of weapons and smelt it.

"Dammit." He threw the syringe at the wall and helped me finish getting dressed before checking my pulse.

"Why are you helping me?" I asked curiously. He looked a bit taken aback that I'd question the help but he was an Argent. Derek did bite his wife and she ended up taking her own life because of it. He was losing his daughter to her rage because of the whole thing and yet here he was helping me.

"I don't want my daughter to be a monster. I don't want her to follow in the wrong footsteps." He said sadly.

"You think...by helping me...it's going to change things?" I questioned. He shook his head at me.

"We've got to start somewhere." I held his gaze for a moment before nodding my head.

"You need to hurry up and find Scott then. Gerard is going after Derek and something tells me he'll be using Scott to get what he wants." I explained trying to force myself to stand but my knees buckled and Chris caught me.

"You're going to be healing a lot slower than you normally would but I can drop you off at the hospital-" I shook my head.

"You think Derek's going to listen to you? No I'll go with you. Just give me a second." I tried to bit my lip through the pain of standing but when I looked down at the hole still bloody in my foot I felt my head spin. Chris Argent picked me up bridal style and carried me out of the room, grabbing a blanket and rushing me to his car. I could only pray that I wouldn't regret trusting an Argent.

**[Stiles POV]**

My phone kept going off after I walked out of the bathroom. I knew my dad had texted Scott letting him know I'd come home but I didn't have it in me to talk to him right now. I'd cried for about 20 minutes before I pulled myself together enough to clean myself up and lie down. I was in shock. I didn't know where Maggie was, if she was okay, if they were hurting her, if she was even alive still. I wanted to rush around and put together a plan but my body felt like it weighed a ton. I was in pain and my head throbbed. I laid across my bed trying not to think about what had happened but every time I closed my eyes, I saw Gerard's men carrying Maggie away. I felt like such a failure. How could I just let them take her away? How could I just let her slip through my fingers like that again?

A knock at the door made me sigh. Dad didn't believe me when I told him I was fine but I guess that's just because he's not blind or stupid. He knew I was hurting. He knew I was on the edge of losing it.

"Dad I said I'm fine." I called out not moving. He answered with another series of knocks only making me more annoyed. I pushed off of the bed and opened the door.

"Come on Dad I said-" I was surprised to see it wasn't my dad at all. It was Lydia.

"Hi." Her voice was soft and she looked like she'd been crying.

"Hi." I replied holding the door in my hand. I didn't mean to stare at her but I was confused and a little surprised she even knew where I lived.

"Um...your father let me in." She explained gesturing down the stairs.

"He did? Oh yeah of course he did. If he can't get me to talk he might as well send someone else to." I shook my head knowing that I must get my subtly from my dad.

"What happened to your face?" She asked seeming genuinely concerned.

"It's nothing...don't worry about it. I'm fine." I lied. She let her eyes fall to the floor and something told me that she didn't really want to know how my face had gotten so mangled.

"I was looking for Maggie. She said to stay close and then she disappeared in the shuffle. She wasn't at home so I figured she might be here." Her voice was raw and desperate.

"No she's...she's not but you can still come in if you want." I opened the door wider looking to share my misery with someone else who had just lost someone they cared about. She walked in and kept her back to me making it clear she was holding back tears. I shut the door and walked towards her.

"How are you doing?" I asked genuinely.

"They wont let me see him. I'm supposed to give him something, he kept asking for it back." She cried but still wouldn't let me see her face. She reminded me of Maggie in that moment. When we were kids, Maggie hated to cry. Hated everything it symbolized. Sadness. Weakness. She would cover her face or run away before we realized what was going on but I always knew. I always knew when her eyes would flutter behind her glasses, when her bottom lip would quiver and she'd suck it into her mouth quickly to bite down on it in hopes she could get it to stop.

"Let me get you some tissues." I said walking out of the room to retrieve some. A few weeks ago, if Lydia Martin were in my bedroom looking for comfort I would have probably passed out or assumed I'd taken a large blow to the head but now I just felt like she might have a ounce of knowledge on just how horrible I felt with having someone you love torn away from you and feeling helpless. I grabbed a roll of toilet paper unable to find an actual box and she actually chuckled slightly when I handed it to her.

"Sorry, the whole grocery shopping thing has gone downhill since Maggie moved out. This was all I could find." She took a few pieces and blotted her face.

"That's okay. I'm such a mess, I'd take anything right now." She said as my phone beeped again. She picked it up and held it out to me seeming annoyed.

"You have 17 missed messages from Scott." I didn't bother taking it from her though which made her eye me strangely.

"I know." I sighed.

"You ignoring him?" She stood up from the bed still holding the phone.

"No...not really...I mean I'm just kind of out of it right now. A lot's happened tonight." I rubbed the back of my neck as she picked up some of the jewelry I had yet to return.

"Why do you have women's jewelry?" She asked looking at me strangely.

"Oh um...well I had gone shopping for your birthday after I asked Maggie to be my date...I figured I would get you something and then maybe a little something for Maggie to remember our first date by. Didn't exactly go as I planned. Nothing ever really goes as I planned when it comes to Maggie." I chewed on my busted lip remembering how mangled it was when I tasted blood.

"Jewelry is kind of a big thing to give to a girl for a first date." Lydia said rolling her eyes at the flat screen sitting among the gifts.

"I didn't end up giving her any of that stuff anyway. I found this emerald amulet necklace that belonged to my mom a long time ago, got it cleaned up but I haven't really found the right time to give it to her." I walked over to my night stand and pulled it out to show Lydia. She ran her fingers over it and her jaw dropped.

"Stiles...that's...that's gorgeous." She shook her head in disbelief but then smiled as she handed the necklace back to me.

"Well congratulations on finally telling her how you feel about her." She actually seemed proud.

"Are you not hearing me? It was a horrible decision." I pointed out putting the necklace back in the box and sitting it on my nightstand.

"Um…how is that a bad thing?" She seemed confused by my change in demeanor but a necklace wouldn't matter when it seemed our relationship was already cursed.

"Because I'm in love with her and it's a freaking nightmare. I'm going to lose her, I'm always losing her." Lydia put her hand on my arm trying to clam be down.

"Then don't let her go. Save her." I shook her hand off of me and gripped my forehead.

"I DON'T…I don't know how. I just…I don't know how." I took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of my nose trying to chill out. Lydia didn't deserve my anxieties spewed on her right now. No one did. When my phone beeped again she looked up at me with wide, concerned eyes.

"You're going to want to read this." She held the phone up to me and I read the message that Scott had sent me and felt my stomach tense. Why would he just send me things like that? Anyone could read my phone. I made a mental note to scold him later but right now I had to look at Lydia and try to convince her that she didn't just read something about him and Isaac moving Jackson's venom encased body to a warehouse.

"How much do you know about this stuff?" I took the phone from her and tossed it on my bed.

"Pieces...Maggie explained a little bit to me but half of it seems like a dream." She said gently.

"Well guess what? The other half is like a freaking nightmare." I said painfully.

"I don't care. I can help him. Maggie said I'm stronger than I know." I took a step back at Lydia's words.

"See that's the problem with you two. You don't care about getting hurt but you know how I'll feel? I'll be freaking devastated. All I can do is sit around here thinking about all the horrible things that are happening to you and wishing I could just take your place when I know that wishing and praying doesn't do a damn bit of good." I fumed making Lydia stare at me.

"And if you die, I will literally go out of my freaking mind. What you and Maggie don't seem to understand is that death doesn't just happen to you. It happens to everyone you leave behind. All the people left standing at your funeral trying to figure out what the hell we're supposed to do with our lives without you in it." I felt blood trickle down my chin from moving my mouth so much and was reminded of just how shitty I looked right now.

"Look at my face! You actually think this was meant to hurt me?! I walked away with some bruises and scabs and she'll be lucky to leave in pieces." I yelled in Lydia's face and instantly realized what I had just done when she flinched. I stepped back and threw my hands out.

"Oh...I'm...I'm so sorry." I apologized quickly. She took hesitant breath and met my gaze.

"It's okay." She said quickly. I didn't' know what else to say. I had seriously crossed a line and sorry didn't seem like enough.

"She'd die for you, you know? She told me." I stared at Lydia as she frowned.

"W-What?" I asked curiously.

"She'd told me that being in love made you do crazy things, things that could end up with her getting hurt but in the end it was worth it just knowing you were safe and alive." Lydia's words made my stomach turn. Knowing that Maggie said those things about me just made me feel unworthy.

"She said that she'd die for you but you wouldn't let her go anywhere you couldn't follow." Lydia said confidently.

"She Lord of the Ring's you?" I asked earning an eye roll.

"If you want to sit here that's fine. I'll find him myself." Lydia turned to walk out of my room.

"Lydia wait-" She spun around fiercely, shedding the look of the broken girl who'd just walked in a few moments ago.

"I'm not going to give up on him and you shouldn't give up on her either." That was the last thing she said before she stormed out of my house. I cursed myself silently for not chasing after her but I was scared. I was utterly terrified of what I would find. I'd seen Maggie die, I'd seen her fighting her way back from it. I didn't know what I'd find of her and that scared me more than anything.


	15. Stay With Me

**[Stiles POV]**

I sat at my desk staring at my phone now that Lydia had completely made me feel like shit. She was right though. I wasn't doing anything to help Maggie. I could be out there trying to figure out a way to track her down, I could be with Scott trying to stop Gerard, I could be doing anything except sitting on my ass doing nothing.

I just wanted her to call me and tell me that she was alright. I wanted Boyd or Erica to text me saying they'd gotten her out of there or that she wolfed out and destroyed everything in her path. I'd give anything to watch her come through my door but I knew that wasn't going to happen.

"Hey...Lydia leave?" Dad appeared in the doorway and I shrugged.

"Yeah she was looking for Maggie." I said glancing at my phone once more before tossing it a little too forcefully.

"Have you heard anything from her yet?" He asked sitting down next to me.

"No she's probably just pissed at me for missing the date." I lied knowing that she was probably going through hell at this very moment.

"I'm sure if you explained things, she'd understand. She's been waiting for you to catch up for years." He smiled hopeful but I just shook my head.

"Not this time dad. I don't think she should forgive me." I wished I could tell my dad the truth about everything but I knew that would only end up with him getting hurt like Maggie and I couldn't handle that.

"Hey you're being way too hard on yourself kiddo. You played a hell of a game tonight and had to put up with a bunch of sore losers afterwards. You were a hero tonight." Dad put his hand on my shoulder as I sighed.

"I'm not a hero dad. I'm the furthest from a hero." It was the truth. I'd been paralyzed with fear for at least 2 hours now while god knows what was happening to Maggie. I kept trying to tell myself it was to keep my dad safe but that wasn't true.

"Are you kidding me? Son you single handedly won that game, against all odds. I didn't think anyone could be more proud of you than me until I saw Maggie cheering you on." I chuckled thinking about how proud Maggie looked from the sidelines. I'd never seen her look at me like that before. It felt good to have her look at me like that, like I was more than her childhood crush, I was more than the nerdy friend she grew up with. I was someone worth being proud of. I shook the feeling off thinking of how I was currently letting her down.

"It was just a stupid game dad." I said looking over at him. He gave me a sadden nod like he knew there was no cheering me up. I appreciated him trying but I just couldn't be consoled right now. Not with my head all of the place.

"Yeah it might have been but that game isn't the only reason you're a hero. You've been saving Maggie since you were kids. Don't ever forget that. I know she hasn't." I held his gaze for a few minutes as he patted my back. My eyes fell to the picture that sat on my desk of Maggie and I. It wasn't super recent but it was recent enough for me to remember when we took it. She had a similar picture of us in her room that we'd taken the day I helped her decorate.

"Hey I know getting beaten up and what happened to Jackson has got you shaken up but you should take comfort in at least one thing." Dad said making me look back at him seeing him smile.

"She said yes. After all this time, all the bickering and the time apart, she said yes. Your mother always knew that nothing could stand between you two. Even with Maggie coming so close to death, she managed to find her way back to you. Don't give up hope just yet." He said firmly. Something he said clicked in my head. Maggie and I had both been through a lot together and apart yet somehow we always managed to find a way back to each other. But she couldn't do it alone. I had to at least try and help show her the way home. Dad stood up to walk out of my room but stopped when he reached the door.

"For the record, you played amazing. I mean it was pretty much over and then you got the ball and you started running. The moment you scored it was like the tide suddenly turned. Then you scored again...and again." He smiled at me proudly and I couldn't help but chuckle. It was nice that he was proud of me for something for a change. It was better than him wanting to choke me out for being a pain in the ass.

"Thanks Dad." I was grateful for his admiration but I wanted to make it count. Winning the game was nothing short of a miracle. I wanted to save the girl too. My girl.

I dialed Lydia's number and grabbed my car keys as I ran out the front door praying it wasn't too late.

**[Scott's POV]**

Isaac and I had followed Derek and Peter back to the Hale house to make a plan but once I found out that Stiles was safe and Maggie was still missing, I knew we needed to act fast.

"If they let Stiles go already then Gerard is already ready to make a move. We need to figure out a way to get in front of him." Derek's nostrils flared as Peter searched through his laptop.

"Did he say anything about Maggie?" Isaac interjected making all of them look at me.

"No...Sheriff said Stiles was too shaken up to really talk but we can only assume that if they let Stiles go it's because they've got her." My phone rang and I saw it was my mom.

"Hey mom, now isn't a really good time to talk." I said knowing that every minute I wasted not looking for Maggie, could be another minute she's hurt or in pain.

"Yeah well I'm so freaked out, I can barely talk either." Mom sounded upset.

"What's wrong?" My mind instantly went to Gerard.

"Something...definitely something. I think you're going to want to see this for yourself." Mom's voice broke slightly and I looked at Derek who was staring at me listening to how distressed she sounded.

"Go but if you hear from Maggie, you call me immediately." Derek demanded. I gave him a nod before running back out of the house. Isaac followed and we drove in silence. He kept glancing over at me but I kept my eyes focused. I couldn't be distracted by my fear. I know I reeked of it but Maggie was missing, mom was freaking out and I had no idea where Gerard was or who he was currently terrorizing. I pulled up to the hospital and my mom was waving at us by the back entrance.

"What's going on? Are you alright?" I asked putting my hand on her arm as I looked her over.

"Other than wanting to puke from nerves, I'm alright. Something is happening to Jackson." I followed her through the doors and realized we were heading into the morgue.

"Something already happened to him. He's dead." Isaac spoke up earning an eye roll from mom.

"Yes I realize that but now he's like...molting or glaciering, I'm not sure." She unzipped the bag and we stepped back confused by what we were staring at. Jackson was now encased in this icy shell from his neck down.

"What's happening to him?" I asked, Isaac leaned in to look at him closely.

"I thought you could tell me honey. This doesn't happen when humans die." Mom's heart rate picked up.

"Is it bad?" She asked looking at me.

"It doesn't look good." Isaac shrugged. Jackson's body jolted for a moment and I pulled Isaac back. Mom covered her mouth when a small noise of surprise squeaked out.

"Um mom could you zip it up please?" I asked seeing her eyes go wide.

"Seriously? You two have the claws and I have to zip the iceberg with teeth up?" She wasn't happy but I frowned.

"Please?" I asked again making her narrow her eyes at me.

"Yeah sure okay. Okay okay." She zipped slowly until the zipper got stuck near his chin. She worked on it for a few moments until Jackson bared his teeth with a hiss.

"Ahhh!" She pulled her hand away and Isaac kept hitting my arm.

"Mom...zip...ZIP Mom ZIP!" I said as she finally worked the zipper closed. She jumped back into Isaac and did a full body cringe.

"Thank you." Isaac said as he patted her on the back. I pulled out my phone and called Derek immediately.

"Did you find her?" For a moment I had forgotten about Maggie but Derek's worry came through reminding me.

"No but something is happening to Jackson's body. He may be dead but the Kanima is still very much alive." I explained.

"What do you mean? Is he like up and walking around?" Derek asked confused.

"No he's still unconscious but he's moving around and hissing. He's also encased in some sort of icy bubble." I said feeling Isaac jump next to me.

"It smells like the venom he uses to paralyze people." Isaac added. Derek repeated what we had just said to Peter.

"That sounds sufficiently terrifying." I could hear Peter typing through the phone as mom and Isaac paced next to me, keeping an eye on the body bag that kept shifting.

"He's starting to move...like a lot Derek. Some quickness would be appreciated." I said as the bag shifted hard.

"I think I found something. What we've seen from Jackson is only the beta shape of the Kanima." Peter said.

"Meaning what? It can turn into something bigger?" Derek asked before there was a long silence.

"Bigger and badder."

"He's turning into that? That has wings!" Derek said.

"Wings?!" I gasped.

"Wings? What has wings? Jackson's going to grow wings?!" Isaac's eyes went wide as mom shook my arm.

"Scott you need to bring him to us." Derek said firmly.

"I'm not sure if we have time for that." I said stepping back into the wall as the bag moved constantly now.

"Scott get him out of there now. Meet us at the warehouse you pass on the way to the preserve. We'll be there soon." Derek said before hanging up. I texted Stiles the address of the warehouse and gave him a brief update of what was happening. He hadn't answered any of my other texts asking if he was alright or if he'd seen Maggie but I couldn't just let him think I didn't care.

"Grab an end." I walked to the foot of the bag and Isaac's eyebrows shot up.

"Are you...are you serious?" He questioned.

"We've got to get him out of here. I can't carry him by myself." I said grabbing one end of the body bag. Isaac groaned taking the top part of the bag and grabbing it firmly.

"What do you want me to do?" Mom asked nervously.

"Call Nathan. We can't find Maggie and if Gerard is without a weapon, he'll use her." She gave me a nod of understanding before kissing my forehead.

"Be careful." She said firmly.

"I will." Isaac and I carried Jackson's body out of the doors towards the parking lot. We walked slowly to make sure no one saw us waddling a body out of the back door.

"Okay...go, go, go." I ran backwards making sure to keep my eyes peeled for anyone that might pass by but the bag slipped out of my hands and I dropped half of Jackson's body. Isaac and I both looked at each other with wide eyes waiting for him to rip out of the bag and shred us both to pieces but he didn't. Instead an SUV pulled up behind me quickly, blinding me with it's headlights. Out of the car stepped Chris Argent eying not only us but the body bag. We all stared at one another for a moment before Isaac dropped the bag and snarled.

"I'm not here to fight." Chris put his hand up and I stopped Isaac.

"What are you doing?" I questioned as he wolfed out in public.

"He reeks of Maggie's blood." Isaac growled. I took a deep breath in and realized he was right. He walked to the back of his car and opened the door to reveal Maggie wrapped up in a bloody blanket. I ran towards her and stroked her sweat matted hair off of her face.

"Maggie...Maggie hey." She rolled her eyes around before jumping startled by my voice.

"Scotty..." She breathed a sigh of had run around to the other door and jumped in to look her over.

"Scott look at her hands." Isaac swallowed as I gently picked up one of her hands that appeared to have been impaled. I could smell her pain, her blood and sweat, even her exhaustion as I looked her over.

"We don't have much in common Scott but at the moment we have a common enemy." I pulled out of the car and looked at Chris Argent with pure hatred. I slammed my hand against his chest and he put his hands up.

"So you thought trading my mutilated best friend for Jackson was the way to go?" I felt my anger getting the better of me.

"I'm not talking about Jackson and I didn't do that to her. I would never..." I cut him off letting my claws dig into his chest just barely.

"WHY SHOULD I BELIEVE A WORD YOU SAY!?" I yelled.

"Because he's telling the truth. Let him go Scott." Maggie's eyes were open fully now and she was wincing as she adjust in the seat. I pulled my hand away from Chris's chest and took a step back.

"I didn't know...I didn't know he was capable of this kind of gruesome persecution...she's a teenage girl for God's sake!" Chris spat. He had finally seen what kind of man his father was and I could tell he was definitely surprised by it. I just wished it didn't have to be at Maggie's expense.

"Gerard has twisted his way into Allison's head like he did with Kate. I'm losing her and so are you." My eyes drifted to Maggie and she frowned at me.

"She didn't know." It was like she could read my mind. All I kept thinking was that if Allison had known what Gerard had done to Maggie then she was already too far gone.

"She can be saved but not without some help." Maggie said giving Chris a glance. He looked almost humbled that Maggie would even consider helping Allison after what Gerard had put her through.

"I can do that. The real question is can you trust me to do that?" I asked looking directly at Chris Argent. We didn't have the best history but he had to know by now that I was in love with his daughter and I would do anything I could to protect her even if that meant walking through hell myself.

"No...you won't do it alone. Plus my car is faster." He waved his hand around and I shook my head. He helped Isaac and I load up Jackson in the back of his car before running around to jump in. I got into the back and pulled Maggie gently into my side placing my hand on her wrist. Her eyes fluttered open and she pulled away.

"Scott, you're going to need your strength." She muttered trying to get me to stop taking some of her pain away but there was no way in hell I was going to sit there and watch her suffer.

"Shut up and let me help you." I said making her look up at me. I ran my thumb over the cut on her cheek making her wince. She held my gaze as looked her over once more and watched tears roll out of the corner of her eyes.

"Please don't ask me. I can tell you want to but please don't, okay?" Maggie pleaded. She was trying not to appear broken but something about her eyes told me that whatever Gerard did to her really destroyed her. I took her mangled hand into my own carefully and started to take some of her pain away. She leaned her head on my shoulder and tried to take slow, deep breaths. When I started to feel overwhelmed, I squeezed my eyes shut tightly. I bit my bottom lip trying to hide the feelings that was flooding my body but then the pain eased slightly. I opened my eyes and saw that Isaac had turned around in the front seat and placed his hand on Maggie's other hand. He gave me a sad smile and I nodded a silent thank you for lessening the burden for the both of us.

**[Maggie's POV]**

I was in and out of consciousness as the car stopped but the moment I felt someone shake me, my eyes shot open to see Derek looking at me with fear in his eyes.

"Hey! Hey it's okay. It's just me." Derek held my head in his hands. I reached up to touch his arm and noticed one of my hands was healed with a dark red mark like it had been burned. There's no way Scott had taken all that pain away on his own and somehow I managed to start healing faster.

"Did they get him? Scott? Isaac-" Derek shook his head as Isaac stepped into view.

"We're here Maggie." Isaac spoke up. I blinked a few times as Derek frowned.

"I'm okay...I'll be okay. Help Jackson." I pleaded but his scowl came back as he turned away from me. I knew exactly where he was going.

"Derek...DEREK!" I called after him trying to reach out to grab him but he was already gone. Isaac jumped where Derek once stood and caught me before I could hit the pavement.

"Derek STOP! He didn't hurt her! He saved her!" Scott was yelling at Derek as he jacked Chris Argent up against his hood. Chris had a gun drawn to his head.

"I'm not here for you! I'm here for Jackson!" Chris explained.

"I don't find that very comforting." Derek growled.

"DEREK! PLEASE!" I begged as Isaac supported most of my weight. I tried to lean off of him as much as I could but he wouldn't allow it.

"If it weren't for him, I'd be dead. This isn't about our family feud right now. It's about saving a life. Please let him go." Derek huffed glancing back at me before letting Chris loose. Derek walked over to me and picked me up.

"Get him inside." He called back to Scott and Isaac as he carried me towards his car.

"Derek-" He cut me off.

"You shouldn't be here. You should be with Deaton. You should be anywhere but here." Derek shook his head looking torn.

"I'm right where I need to be. I'm with my family." He sat me in the passenger seat and I relaxed back into the seat.

"Honk the horn if you need me." Derek touched my cheek one last time before shutting the door. I let my eyes slip shut and sighed. My body was still in pain and the poison in my veins still left a mild sear in my blood. I looked down at my hands where the holes once were and saw that they were still very red. One was still opened and I ripped a piece of my shirt to tie onto it.

"WAIT A MINUTE!" I could hear Scott's voice booming from inside and I closed my eyes to listen in on the conversation.

"THINK ABOUT IT SCOTT! Gerard controls him now! He's turned Jackson into his own personal guard dog, he set all of this in motion, distracted us with taking Stiles and torturing Maggie just so Jackson could get bigger and more powerful." I shook my head listening to Derek. He wasn't going to save him, he was going to kill him.

"Dammit Derek." I kicked the door open and winced when I felt the pain shoot through my foot. I leaned my head out of the car trying to pull myself up but was jerked out so suddenly I fell on my face. I turned over to see Gerard hovering over me.

"Just in time." He yanked me to my feet and put a knife to my neck as we walked towards the warehouse. It took everything I had in me to stay on my feet but I could feel a heat growing in my body that was screaming at me to stop walking, stop moving, stop everything.

"My father wouldn't let a rabid dog live." Chris explained.

"Of course not! Anything that dangerous, that out of control...is better off dead." Gerard said before shoving the blade into my chest. I let out a blood curdling scream that I didn't even know my lungs had left after what I'd been through but it came out before I hit the ground. Scott ran towards me but stopped when he saw Jackson snap to life, digging his razor sharp claws into Derek's chest and throwing him with such force it sent him across the warehouse. I pulled the blade out and didn't feel any burning which made me sigh. It wasn't laced.

"Well done to the last Scott. Like the concerned friend you are, you brought Jackson to Derek to save him. You just didn't realize you were bringing Derek to me." Gerard walked away from me and I tried to crawl backwards away from him. The sound of an arrow whistled through the air struck Isaac in the shoulder.

"ISAAC!" I shouted seeing his eyes go wide before he hit the ground.

"Allison?!" Scott couldn't believe what she'd just done. I knew it was a shock for him but he snapped out of it quickly before running towards Isaac to pick him up and drag him away from the danger. I felt hands pulling me away from the car as Chris Argent tried to get a good shot off on Jackson now that he was shifting into the Kanima.

"You reek of wolfsbane." The voice pulling me said and I shook him off of me.

"Relax I'm trying to help you." Peter looked at the wound on my chest and smelled the blood on his hands.

"You know the spell, start saying it." He said as he pressed his hand into my wound and I held back a cry. This was the most aggressive way of healing I'd ever been apart of but the wound was sealing up quickly once I started mumbling the spell.

"See you just need to keep you mind focused." He smirked at me. I pushed away from him causing him to roll his eyes. I heard growls and started to crawl back towards the others. Jackson had transformed into full on Kanima and was now stripping Chris Argent of his gun. He looked shocked.

"RUN!" I yelled snapping him out of it. He took off in the direction of the others as I got to my feet. I pushed through the pain and leaned against the pillars when Derek let out a growl. Both Scott and Isaac were now wolfed out and providing Derek with back up. I watched them triple team Jackson trying to take him down, getting equally as beaten up but he was so strong. Derek went down hard and I felt panic rushing into my chest.

"DEREK!" I screamed desperately. He looked over at me slowly, eyes suddenly going wide.

"BEHIND YOU!" He yelled but I couldn't' even turn. Allison had taken a dagger to the back of my leg and I went down hard onto my knee. She walked past me and straight for Isaac catching him off guard. She flayed him about 4 times in the torso before stabbing him in the back and sending him to fall on his face. I put my hand on the wound and said the spell quickly, jumping to my feet and using my strength to run towards Allison. She turned away from Isaac and headed towards Derek. I couldn't let her do that. I grabbed her arm and she spun around to try and slash me.

"Allison STOP!" She swung her other arm around and I grab that one to.

"THIS ISN'T YOU! STOP THIS!" I yelled in her face and she kneed me in the stomach. She pulled my hair up to face her as I tried to catch my breath from the blow.

"What was it you said at Karen's wake? I don't hate you Maggie but you know why I can't trust you right?" Allison quoted me venomously.

"Derek cost my mother her life and now it's time he pays." She fumed in my face bitterly but I saw the Kanima coming up behind her. I gripped the blade in her hand and swung her behind me before attempting to kick the Kanima. It's claws dug into my neck as it lifted me off my feet and flung me as hard as it could. My lightweight sent me flying, crashing into dusty crates that splintered under my body. I couldn't move after that. I had been tortured, stabbed and tossed into the garbage. My body was giving out. Scott ran over to me and put his hands on my face.

"Save Allison." I said trying to get him to stop worrying about me. He looked over his shoulder and called out to her but I heard her daggers drop to the floor followed by her gasping for air.

"Not yet sweetheart." Gerard said firmly. I tried to catch my breath as I lay in the rubble.

"What are you doing?" Allison asked confused.

"He's doing what he came here to do." Scott said. I flipped over in the rubble and pulled a piece of wood out of my leg. There's no way I'd be able to walk now.

"So you know?" Gerard seemed surprised.

"You let Stiles go in exchange for Maggie. When Chris said you'd tortured her, I figured it was because you either wouldn't let her try to heal her or you just didn't care. You using me to get to Derek isn't as obvious as you using her. He cares about her..like a sister." Scott looked over at Derek as he rolled onto his belly confused. I jumped when Isaac put his hand on my shoulder. He was struggling to regain his strength as well but he pulled me towards him.

"He's dying." Isaac spoke up drawing their attention towards us. I could now see that the Kanima had Allison by the throat.

"I am, I have been for a while now. Unfortunate science doesn't have a cure for cancer yet but the supernatural does." Gerard cut his eyes at Allison and she gasped again.

"You monster." Chris shook his head seeing what kind of savage his father really was.

"Not yet." Gerard acted like he was completely unmoved by his son's judgement.

"What are you doing?!" Allison contested with tears streaming down her face.

"You'd kill her too?" Chris's voice broke in his throat.

"When it comes to survival? I'd kill my own son!" Gerard raised his voice like an added slap in the face to Chris. Everything he built his life around, the man he followed was not a good man but the villain. Gerard eyed Scott and Scott looked from Derek to me, reeling his wolf back in. I gave him a sad nod knowing what he was about to do and how much Derek would not be okay with it but no one else was going to die tonight. Scott reached down and grabbed Derek against his protests.

"Scott...don't! You know he's going to kill me right after. He'll be your alpha...he'll kill Maggie." Derek looked at me as Isaac held onto me. I felt tears rolling down my face as he looked at me defeated.

"That's true but I think he already knows that. Like I told Maggie before, young love is a powerful tool but it always ends with a sacrifice. He knows that in order to have Allison, he must give up his childhood best friend. Getting rid of the past to make room for the future." Scott looked at me like he wanted to tell him it was a lie. He wanted to scream that it wasn't true and that he would never hurt me but I just shook my head at him.

"You're the only piece that doesn't fit Derek and in case you haven't noticed, there's no competing with young love." Gerard took his jacket off and walked towards Scott as Derek continued to plead with him. He jerked Derek's head back for Gerard to place his arm inside his mouth. Derek bit down making Gerard wail in pain from the bite. Allison looked away towards me and I met her gaze. I cut my eyes at the kanima and she looked as though she was confused at first. I blinked my eyes in morse code hoping that by some freaking miracle that she knew it and she blinked back.

The smell of rotting meat and bitter coffee filled my senses and I looked at Gerard. His bite was oozing black blood.

"What...what is this?" Gerard looked at his arm and then back down at Derek.

"You're body is rejecting the bite." I spoke up as Isaac helped me to my feet.

"What did you do?" Gerard growled at Scott but he looked down at Derek.

"Everyone said Gerard had a plan. I had a plan too and it wasn't to sacrifice my best friend for the girl I love." Scott looked between Allison and I before settling his gaze on Gerard. Gerard starting riffling through his pocket pulling out his medicine tin and crushing them in his hand.

"No...NO! MOUNTAIN ASSSSSHHHHHHH!" His chest rumbled as he fell to his knees, black blood dripping from his eyes and nose. He tilted his head back and a fountain of black blood started flowing into the air spreading the rancid smell around the warehouse. Gerard fell over on his side struggling to breathe once it had stopped and Derek looked up at Scott.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Derek asked surprised.

"You're an alpha but you aren't mine. You may not believe that I care about her as much as you do but I'm not going anywhere. I lost her twice before, I'd give my own life before I'd let anyone else have hers." Scott and Derek looked at me and I felt a sob in my throat. Isaac rubbed my back as I limped towards the two of them. He stopped us both in our tracks when Gerard started sitting up.

"KILL THEM...KILL THEM ALL!" Gerard bellowed before falling on his face and blacking out. The Kanima froze. He was no longer in Gerard's possession and stared at his body confused.

"ALLISON NOW!" I yelled. She sent a hard punch to it's face and it shoved her away from him.

Suddenly the sound of squealing tires burst through the side of the warehouse heading towards it. Stiles plowed the kanima with his jeep.

"Did I get him?!" He called out making Scott laugh but it was a short lived victory as the lizard jumped onto the hood, hissing at him. Lydia and Stiles both screamed as they jumped out of the jeep but when Lydia and I locked eyes she knew what she had to do. She turned around, unafraid and looked at the creature in front of her.

"Jackson?" The Kanima reared back and she took another deep breathe.

"JACKSON!" She held up the key this time, breathing heavily and hoping that she wouldn't be clawed to pieces but the Kanmia stopped dead in it's tracks. Jackson slowly started to come through the monster inside of himself and Lydia's jaw dropped. He took the key from her and looked at her with sad eyes before stepping backwards away from her. Derek got to his feet and I pushed past Isaac and I.

"DEREK NO!" I screamed but it was too late. Both he and Peter had stuck their claws into either side of Jackson. I knew why Peter would go for the power kill, he did it to me but Derek shouldn't have. He shouldn't have done that to Lydia, not after everything that had happened. They let him go only to fall into Lydia's chest. Derek looked at me like he was ashamed and I shook my head at him. I pushed off of Isaac and Derek held him back from going after me as I limped towards Lydia.

"Do you...do you still-" Jackson breathed.

"I do! I do still love you. I do, I do." Lydia cried as Jackson's body slumped against hers. She held onto him tightly stroking his head as she followed his weight to the ground. My heart was broken for her. I had spent that evening with Lydia hearing how she questioned how I felt about Stiles and I knew even before I gave her my answer that she was in love with Jackson. That's what love was. Love was always 75% pain. If it wasn't then it wouldn't mean anything when you lost it. Lydia turned around and closed her eyes tightly. She had just watched the boy she loved get impaled by two werewolves. I could almost feel her heart breaking as she tried to catch her breath.

"I thought I could save him." She whispered softly as Stiles stepped past Scott to comfort her. I couldn't let this happen to Lydia. She had already been through so much and I wasn't going to let her lose anymore of herself because of this mess. I walked away from Isaac's side and felt everyone's eyes land on me.

"Maggie…" Stiles called out but Scott stopped him. I knelt down next to Jackson and placed my hand on his stomach. I could feel the life that had already slipped away from him but I still had to try. I closed my eyes for a moment and focused all my energy on his lifeless body. After only a few moments, I could feel a burning sear running through my veins as I moved my hand up Jackson's stomach towards his chest like I was pulling what life he had left inside of him out of the darkness. My bones vibrated, my jaw clenched and my eyes shot open as Jackson's life flashed before my eyes. I stumbled back onto my side feeling the weakest I'd ever felt and that's when it happened.

Jackson gasped for air, eyes snapping open with the brightest blue I'd ever seen. He got to his feet slowly, extending his arms out and throwing his head out to let out a growl so powerful, I felt like it could have shattered the windows. He pulled his claws back in and looked over at me stunned.

"Jackson...JACKSON!" Lydia screamed as she hugged him tightly. He hugged her back and kept his eyes trained on me for a few moments silently questioning what I had just done just like the others were doing. I looked at all of their faces and it was like they were staring at me with fear or shock. I tried to get to my feet but my body refused it instantly. I could feel my muscles crumbling as the feeling of falling took over.

"MAGGIE!" I heard Stiles scream my name as he caught me and fell to the ground underneath me, breaking my fall.

"Stay with me, stay with me!" He pleaded stroking my hair out of my face. The others ran towards me concerned but I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer.

"MAGGIE! OPEN YOUR EYES! COME ON!" Stiles screamed desperately shaking me but I couldn't reply to his plea as much as I wanted to. The world started to spin and all I saw was darkness. I could hear them moving around me. Scott telling Stiles my heart was still beating, Derek yelling that I needed to go to Deaton's and Lydia shouting at them all to be careful with me. I felt like my face was smiling listening to them all work together but exhaustion took over and the voice turned into a humming that lulled me to sleep.

**[Scott's POV]**

The moment Maggie's eyes closed it was like someone had hit fast forward on life. I called Deaton to tell him that we needed his help and Chris Argent had discovered that Gerard was now missing but the priority was Maggie.

"SCREW YOU! The last time she helped you, that asshole killed her!" Stiles refused to let go of Maggie as Derek and Peter tried to take her from him.

"Stiles, we've got to get her help or she's going to die. Her body has been through too much." Derek explained.

"She's my daughter-" Derek turned on Peter, slamming him up against Stiles jeep and digging his claws into his chest.

"I won't think twice about ripping your heart out if it helps her heal faster. You aren't welcome around her. You want to stay in Beacon Hills, that's fine but until she's well enough to decide what kind of relationship she wants with you, you're barred from seeing her. Do you understanding?" Derek growled in Peter's face. We all seemed to freeze seeing how forceful Derek was being with Peter. Peter looked down at the claws digging into his chest and then back up at Derek.

"Fine...but remember our deal." Peter gritted out. Derek looked him over for a moment before letting him loose. Peter looked towards Stiles who was still cradling Maggie in his arms before snarling and taking off.

"You should have torn his heart out anyway." Stiles complained as Derek looked over at me.

"We need to get her to Deaton's." Derek pursed his lip and I nodded at him. I knew he was pissed about what I did but I could tell things had changed. He trusted me with Maggie. I walked over to Stiles and put my hand on Maggie's knee.

"Let me carry her. You need to drive okay?" Stiles looked at me, beaten and tear stained.

"She's so heavy Scott...she's heavy like before...all this time and we're right back where we started." Stiles was breaking down but I shook my head.

"She's not dead. Her heart is still beating but we've got to get her some help and figure out what's wrong with her." I grabbed Stiles hand as it sat on top of Maggie's still one and he tried to take a deep breath.

"She's not going anywhere Stiles, I swear." I watched Stiles struggle to believe me but he let me take Maggie from his arms. Lydia opened the door to the jeep and Isaac helped me get Maggie settled on my lap as Stiles ran around to the driver side. I could see his hands shaking on the wheel as he tried to wipe her blood off onto his pants. Allison put her hand on my arm through the window and I frowned at her. There was a lot we needed to talk about but right now I had to take care of Maggie.

"Call me and let me know how she is. We're going to get Jackson and Lydia home." Allison said firmly, glancing over at Maggie as she laid against my chest.

"Be careful." I said as Chris walked up next to his daughter and pulled her back into him. Derek and Isaac had run outside and jumped into the camero to follow us to Deaton's. He was ready and waiting the moment we arrived and laid her on the table. He moved around her body as we all paced around. Lydia had called asking about her condition but it was too soon to tell. He spent hours working on her in the operating room while the rest of us waiting for him to open the door.

Finally he opened the door back up and Derek, Isaac, Stiles and I jumped to our feet.

"Is she okay? Will she make it?" Stiles asked wringing his hands out.

"She'll live." Deaton breathed making all of us take in a sigh of relief.

"Why won't she wake up? What's wrong with her?" Derek pressed. Deaton waved us back into the room where he'd hooked Maggie up to an IV and covered her with a blanket.

"From what I can see, her body has been through a great amount of trauma. Now typically her wolf would have healed her but there was a copious amount of special wolfsbane in her system, a kind much more deadly to her than you. It made it impossible for her wounds to heal. Using the magic she used only sealed the poison in so I put her on a sterilizing IV drip to clean it out of her system." Deaton looked over at Derek who ran his hand over the back of Maggie's free hand.

"What did he do to her?" Derek didn't seem angry when he asked. He seemed upset.

"It would appear he used a special kind of harnessing device. I haven't seen one in many years but it would cause great damage to anybody, human or otherwise. The wounds will heal but I'm afraid because the device broke through the bones, the poison may be laced within her bones once they healed. She'll always have aches and pains but she'll work through it. She's a very strong young woman." Deaton put his hand on Derek's shoulder trying to comfort him.

"So she'll be okay? That doesn't explain why she is virtually unresponsive." Stiles paced unable to believe what Deaton was saying.

"Stiles, she was tortured and poisoned for an extended amount of time. Her body is indeed healing but she's also exhausted. All we can do now is let her sleep, let her heal. She'll wake up when she's ready." Stiles gripped the edge of the table and I put my hand on his back as Deaton walked out of the room leaving the four of us alone with Maggie.

"I should have done more. I shouldn't have left her." Stiles shook his head.

"They'd have killed you." Isaac spoke up.

"Maggie did what she thought was right." I added making Derek look at me.

"She must get that from you." He said eying me.

"Just because you didn't believe me when I said that she was important to me doesn't mean it wasn't true. I love Maggie and I'd never let-" Derek cut me off.

"I know...thank you." I could tell it was a bit difficult for him to swallow that pill but as Maggie lie completely out of it on the table, it all seemed so pointless for continue to battle for her. It was more than being apart of Derek's pack or apart of my pack, she was just a girl who loved two very different people like brothers. It wasn't about pack, it was about family. The door to the clinic swung open and I could hear Deaton trying to calm someone down.

"Where is she?! What do you mean-" Nathan came through the door and froze. He didn't bother looking at the four of us. I moved out of the way and let him walk over to look at Maggie.

"Jesus Kid...what did you do to yourself?" Nathan reached his hand out like he might touch her but then pulled back. I glanced over at my mom and she wrapped her arms around me tightly. I savored being able to hug my mom without her flinching away in fear or disgust.

"Are you okay?" She asked looking me over and touching my face.

"I'm fine mom. I promise." She nodded her head at me and looked down at Maggie.

"Maybe we should give them some space." Deaton offered as Nathan ran his hand through his hair and held onto the side of the table. I didn't realize how much he cared about Maggie until I saw it for myself. Stiles sat quietly stewing in the waiting area, knees bouncing as he chewed on his lip. Derek sat next to him rubbing the back of his neck and Isaac paced by the door.

"Stiles honey, does your dad know where you are?" Mom asked making him shake his head.

"Does he know-" She started but he cut her off.

"He doesn't know about any of it. He doesn't know about werewolves or what really happened to me or that Maggie is lying in there exhausted from being tortured." Mom put her arm around Stiles and pulled him into her chest. He covered his face and Isaac watched him carefully as my mom comforted him. He didn't cry, he just tried to keep his breathing from getting out of control.

We were all emotionally exhausted from the last few months. Thing's had happened so fast, it felt like we were just now taking a breath. Deaton insisted that we go home and let Maggie rest. Derek stuck around and mom called the Sheriff to tell him that Stiles was spending the night with us so he could stay at the clinic. Isaac rode with me over to Allison's house to give Chris and Allison an update on Maggie's condition.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Allison extended her hand to me and I looked at her dad who gave a quiet nod before I took it and let her lead me up to her room. We sat on her bed for a few moments of silence before she started to cry. I put my arm around her and pulled her to my chest like my mom had done to Stiles.

"I'm so sorry. I honestly don't know what else to say but I know it's not enough." I kissed the top of her head and she straightened her self out like she didn't want to revert back to someone who needed to be consoled.

"You don't have to say you're sorry." I said softly but she shook her head.

"Yeah I do...for what I did and for what I said. Especially for what I'm about to say." She looked at me carefully before cutting her eyes to the floor. I knew what was coming. I think I'd known since that night in the station. She'd lost her mom and had been spiraling without me. She wasn't a damsel in distress, that's what I loved about her. She was strong and fearless. She was going to turn her life around but she couldn't do that if she had me to lean on.

"It's okay." I looked at our hands laced together. I was going to miss her hand in mine.

"No it's not." She whispered back with a sad smile on her face.

"Yes it is." I watched the tears roll out of her eyes again.

"Scott, I'm trying to break up with you." She explained like I wasn't getting it but I gave her hand a squeeze.

"I know and it's okay." Her face changed greatly, like she was almost offended by the fact that I was accepting it so easily.

"How is that okay?" She questioned.

"Because I can wait." I said hopeful.

"I can't make you wait for me, I'm not going to do that." She shook her head.

"You don't have to because I know we're going to be together." I smiled at her and watched her face harden slightly.

"There's no such thing as fate." She said firmly but I just touched her face.

"There's no such thing as werewolves." I shrugged my shoulders and she smiled that beautiful smile that I loved so much before taking a staggered breath. I wiped away her tears and kissed her one last time, savoring her lips against mine. It was a bittersweet kiss but when she pulled away too emotional to handle anymore I knew it was time to go. I stood up from her bed and passed her dad on the way out but he stopped me.

"If she needs anything...don't hesitate to call." I knew he was referring to Maggie. It sucked that he felt responsible for what Gerard did but I learned that sometimes you have to take responsibility for the actions of others. Sometimes you felt just as at fault for the actions of others when someone ended up getting hurt. That's how I felt when it came to Maggie. If I'd acted quicker, if I had been more focused on the kanima instead of Derek creating a pack, Maggie would be okay. I glanced back at Allison as her dad held her in his arms. She needed some time with him. She needed to heal. We all did.

**[Maggie's POV]**

Waking up in the clinic after being out of it for three whole days was no fun at all. I felt like Dorthy when all the faces came into focus. Derek looked utterly exhausted, so did Stiles. Scott helped Deaton treat me and Isaac sort of stood in the corner with Nathan quietly. I knew it was a lot to take in but I was happy to see them.

They'd all been hovering around me the moment I opened my eyes but all I wanted to do was shower and eat. Scott caught me up on everything that had happened with him and Allison, how Gerard was still out there but pretty fatally wounded and how Stiles had basically camped out at the clinic waiting for me to wake up. I knew I still had to talk to him about that night but I wasn't ready for all of that just yet. When I finally got home, thing's were different to say the least. Nathan was quieter, more attentive to what I was doing. He was more worried now and I hated that he had to see me like that.

"Stiles called to check in. He said he'd be by later tonight." Nathan walked out of the kitchen and placed a mug of tea on the table beside me.

"Great, today's already looking up." I rolled my eyes as he stood watching me for a few moments.

"Deaton said the tea will help with the aches." Nathan clasped his hands together and I shook my head.

"I didn't die you know...you don't have to treat me like I'm glass." I teased but he didn't even crack a smile.

"Come on Nate, I hate this. I thought we had a good thing going here. You knew I was into some pretty serious crap when you took me in, why are thing's different now?" I asked annoyed. He narrowed his eyes at the back of the couch, unable to really look me in the eyes.

"When I walked into that clinic and saw you lying on that table…I just…I felt like maybe I'd failed a this already." His eyebrows were pinned together, glancing over at me.

"You didn't fail, I just live a really dangerous life. It's not your fault." I explained sitting up on the couch but he kept shaking his head like he was unable to see me so clearly unafraid of death.

"Nate, I'm okay. I swear." I tried to reassure him but when his eyes met mine all I could see was conflicting emotions and fear.

"You couldn't possibly be okay Kid. Not after all that you've been through. It actually scares the hell out of me that you honestly think you're okay. You're just…you're just a kid." He said baffled.

"I stopped being a kid a long time ago." I said truthfully. He sat down on the couch next to me.

"Then how about we take off for real? You're going to lie about what we're doing anyway, why not just let the ocean keep us for longer? They'll be fine here without you for awhile. I can show you what it is I actually do, you can get a feeling of being on the open sea-" I put my hand on Nathan's stopping him.

"Nate you already know the plan. We can't stray from that now." Nathan looked crushed that I'd refused his offer.

"If this is too much for you, if my life is too much for you-" He cut me off with a chuckle.

"Why is it that you think I'm going to walk away? You think after seeing you strung out like that has somehow changed my mind about all this? I thought we were in this together." Nathan looked at me hurt.

"I just don't want you to feel like you need to stick around because of what Karen wanted or because you feel-" He cut me off again.

"Obligated? You think I'm doing this out of obligation? Damn Kid that's kind of harsh. I thought we were really getting along here." He gestured between us before getting up from the couch.

"We are and I'm glad that you handled all of this as well as you have but I don't need anyone else dying for me. I don't want anyone else in shock because of the things I'll have to go through or because of something I'll have to do. You shouldn't have taken this task on. You're still young. You can do a million things with your life." I argued making him chuckle.

"You don't get to choose who cares about you Maggie. You don't get to choose who will go to bat for you because it's not about how it's going to make you feel. It's about how you touch people's lives. All this super werewolf witch stuff isn't all you are. What lies beneath all of that is why people want to protect you, why people want to love you. Don't take those sacrifices or those people for granted. Caring about someone is not a weakness. I may have signed up for this because we're family but I'm here and down for the cause because of you. Because of the snarky, pain in the ass girl that keeps me on my toes." Nathan explained making me smile sadly.

"I'm with you Kid. You can't shake me so stop trying." Nathan put his hand on mine giving it a squeeze. I leaned over on the couch and hugged him. He let out a noise of surprise but rubbed my back carefully as if he could hurt me.

"I understand why Karen thought we were a good idea. Still scares the hell out of me but I'm glad to know you've got my back." I said truthfully. I was glad Nathan had my back but I just had this fear that it would cost him his life. A knock at the front door made us pull apart and Nathan laughed.

"Stiles really needs to get a watch or at least make an attempt at not being so completely pressed." Nathan got up from the couch and went to answer the door as I sipped my tea. But the moment he stepped through the threshold I knew it was a werewolf. I stood up as Nathan escorted Jackson in.

"Um...I'm not sure he's supposed to be this close to you but he's here." Nathan gestured between us and Jackson just rolled his eyes.

"It's cool. Thanks Nate." Nathan gestured that he would be outside on the boat before disappearing out of the door. Jackson stood looking around the place silently.

"How are you feeling?" I asked breaking through the awkward silence.

"Like I should write to those people who do the home makeover shows." Jackson's eyebrow went up when he said it but I pursed my lips together.

"At least you're starting to sound like the old you again. I bet your parent's are relieved that you're back." He puffed out a breath before shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Yeah right. They're convinced that everyone in this town is incompetent and are planning to move me out of the country before the semesters even over." Jackson explained before sitting down. He looked over at me before clearing his throat.

"Lydia said you were out for three days. That magic tea making you feel better?" He questioned jokingly but I could tell his question was sincere.

"No the tea is for the bone aches. It would appear that being tortured with poisonous daggers by an old man has left me with years of awesome pains to look forward to." I joked right back but he held a frown.

"Being controlled by one to kill people isn't so great either." Jackson added making me chuckle.

"Yeah I guess you got me there." He looked over at me as if to search for scars.

"I've been kind of a dick to you...well to everyone...for most of my life." Jackson scrunched his eyebrows together.

"I think it adds to your self aware charm." I teased trying to lighten the mood.

"I've said and done some pretty awful things but you saved me anyway. I kind of wanted to know why?" Jackson narrowed his eyes at me as if he was waiting for me to name my price.

"Because it was the right thing to do." I said simply but he puffed out a breath.

"That's bullshit. I didn't need to hear your heartbeat to know that was bullshit. Why did you really save me? I've been nothing but an asshole to you since you came back to Beacon Hills, I was constantly shitty at Stilinski and McCall so why did you bring me back?" Jackson demanded.

"I don't think you're that shitty." I said quickly.

"Oh yeah? Why's that?" He still didn't believe me.

"Because Lydia loves you." He looked like I had just stunned him, sitting back away from me.

"When you can find it in your heart to love someone so wholeheartedly, they can't possibly be as horrible as they're perceived. The way she talks about love, the way she fought for you...we've all got a story Jackson. Some stories explain a lot of the way we act towards people, how we handle certain situations...we protect ourselves from getting hurt sometimes to protect the people we love most from being hurt by us." Jackson's body relaxed on the couch as he looked down at his bandaged hand.

"Is that why you're leaving too?" I was surprised by what Jackson said.

"The bags by the door. It's not hard to read you either." He looked over at me.

"I've got to figure some things out and I can't do that with Scott and Stiles around." I explained truthfully. He seemed to understand because he nodded.

"You know before you came back, they were really small blips on a really big map. You kind of give them life too. If you care about them as much as you say then you shouldn't be gone too long. They need you." Jackson looked over at me. I'd never guessed in a million years that Jackson would be giving me advice unless it was to buy a new jacket or to put a bag on my head.

"Lydia needs you too, you know." I said seeing him smile.

"Now we both know that's a lie. Lydia is the strongest girl to ever effortlessly walk the planet in high heels. She doesn't need any man." Jackson chuckled but the smile slipped from his face almost instantly thinking about Lydia.

"You don't have to go if you don't want to. We could figure something out for you." I said but he shook his head.

"I don't trust myself right now. I've already caused too much damage here. I can't even walk through town without feeling my stomach churning." Jackson's guilt was something I was familiar with. If he couldn't handle what he'd done then it was best for him to leave. There was already another threat in the works and it was going to require a lot more of a body count.

"Maybe it would be good for you to leave Beacon Hills. Thing's are only going to get worse here." I explained.

"Yeah I kind of figured that. Homecoming and death matches sort of go hand in hand." Jackson started to unravel his bandage slowly as a silence started to fall between us.

"Sometimes tells me that you didn't just come here to chat." I pressed seeing him swallow a lump in his throat.

"I know you don't owe me anything. Not after saving my life and all that but I wanted to ask you a favor. I want you to look after Lydia when I'm gone." He didn't look at me but I could hear the pain in his voice.

"I honestly don't think Lydia will need looking after. You said it yourself, she's strong." I reminded but he shook his head.

"I know but I also know her better than anyone else and it's going to break her heart just as much as it's breaking mine." I could smell the tears building up in Jackson's eyes and I put my hand on his knee.

"I promise I'll look after her. You have my word." I said making the promise. He looked over at me with a straight face and nodded back tears.

"Thank you…for everything. I owe you." Jackson put his and on top of mine. Jackson stuck around for a little while which surprised me. He talked a little more but for the most part, he sat silently watching the water from the deck. He asked me about everything that had happened to my family, that had happened since I came back and I told him everything. I sort of felt like he needed to know he wasn't the only one with that acidic feeling in his stomach. Deaton once told me it was normal to feel that. He said guilt was a good thing, without it you lose touch of who you are.

By the time Jackson left, the sun was already going down and I knew Stiles would be here soon and I sat calmly by the window watching the moon rise into the sky. He knocked on the door frame and I closed my eyes slowly.

"Hey...how are you feeling?" He walked into my room. I felt tears welling up and when I went to wipe them away he ran to sit next to me.

"Hey, it's okay." He put his hand on my shoulder and I looked at him. He was so beautiful. This boy that I loved more than anything stopped the world around me whenever he looked at me. Deaton was right. I couldn't be who I was with him. I couldn't protect him or anyone else if I had him. My love for him consumed me.

"Please say something, you're freaking me out." Stiles pleaded as I sniffled.

"It's just been a long day is all." I lied.

"Well you were supposed to be taking it easy today. Something tells me you haven't been sitting here for most of the day." He brushed my hair off my face and I stopped his hand, taking it into mine and kissing it softly.

"Do you even know how extraordinary you are?" I asked out loud not looking for an answer. His face fell into a frown and I touched his face.

"You need to stop blaming yourself for that night. I told you to go, it was my choice and we're both alive because of it." He looked at me with pain.

"Why do I feel like we're right back where we started? Like we're back in my jeep driving around, listening to music and trying to get you to feel like going on?" Stiles confessed nervously.

"Telling you to go wasn't me trying to sacrifice myself Stiles." I explained.

"Maggie he tortured you. If you didn't think I would figure that out than you must think I'm a real idiot. You sacrificed your body for my life. The thing's he must have done to you-" I cut him off.

"Will die with me when I eventually get taken out but Stiles...I'm not dead yet. I'm alive and so are you. I would have done it all over again if given the opportunity." I said firmly. I lifted his chin to look at me.

"I should have done more. I should have saved you-" I leaned forward and kissed him without warning. I let my lips rest on his soft ones for a moment before I moved my head to the side to pull his bottom lip in. His hand rested on top of mine as I held either side of his head. When I pulled away, I rested my forehead against his.

"You're always saving me. It's about time I start saving myself." I whispered against his lips. He let out a sigh but kept his eyes closed.

"I meant what I said...I'm totally in freaking love with you Maggie Stevens. I'm sorry it took me so long to figure it out." I felt my heart break a little as he said it and I pulled away to stare at his face once more. He opened his eyes and stared back at me.

"I have something to tell you." I breathed seeing his face tense.

"You can tell me anything." He took my hands into his and I took a deep breath.

"After everything that happened, Nathan seeing me like I was at the clinic kind of rocked him. He's worried that I haven't properly recovered yet and he's right. I'm still really out of it." I said watching Stiles face closely.

"The more I learn about Nathan, the more I respect him." He smiled slightly.

"He's pulled me out of school for the last few weeks. He thinks some time away from everything would give me time to heal...physically and mentally." I explained further seeing Stiles smile sort of fade.

"Time away? Like away from Beacon Hills?" Stiles asked sadly.

"Yeah he wants to take me on the boat for a couple of weeks until the end of school. I just can't focus on even going back yet and I've just start to feel some of those aches Deaton was talking about." Stiles turned my hands over in his and started to rub them.

"I guess we'd have to postpone our big date then huh?" Stiles joked but I didn't know what to say. I was lying to his face and I hated myself for it.

"It's just until school's out. That's not that long. We can start our epic summer romance when you come back healed up." Stiles smiled hesitantly.

"When do you leave?" He added.

"Tomorrow morning." I said quickly watching his eyebrows go up.

"Wow that's like...wow. Um I guess we don't have a whole lot of time then." Stiles swallowed hard and I looked away from him.

"Can I...can I just hold you for a little while?" I smiled back tears at his questioned and I nodded getting to my feet and pulling him towards my bed. He wrapped his arms around me tightly and I rested my head on his chest, arm draped over his stomach while he used one hand to stroke up and down my arm and the other to draw circles on the back of my hand. We lay just like that for hours, my heart growing heavier and heavier the more time that passed, the more he kissed the top of my head. I had to keep telling myself that this was for the best. This was the only way I could protect him. It was the only way I could protect everyone. I walked him out of the front door around 11, holding his hand.

"Don't go meeting any really hot seaman or merman...are there actually merman?" Stiles questioned stopping on the deck. I just smiled at him as he started to dig through his pocket for something.

"I almost forgot to give you this. I was going to give it to you for our first date but I guess since you're going away it'll be a farewell gift." Stiles handed me a red box and I looked at it suspiciously.

"Stiles you didn't have to get me-" I started to say as I opened the box but once my eyes caught sight of the necklace, it's like words were sucked right out of my lungs.

"It was my mom's. The symbol reminded me of the protection charm you gave me and I knew it was the perfect gift." I ran my fingers over the pendant. It was a deep emerald stone with a golden spiral around it. I remembered vaguely of Claudia wearing it and I felt my breath catch in my throat.

"Stiles..." He shook his head at me and closed my hand around it.

"Consider it a way of taking a piece of me with you. I'd hate for you to forget me while you're gone." He smiled at me before hugging me tightly like he knew it would be a while before he'd ever get the chance again.

"Come back to me Maggie." He whispered into my hair as I held onto him.

"Always." I whispered back. He pulled away and kissed my lips hard this time. I didn't even see it coming. The kiss was desperate and needy but before I could truly savor it, he pulled away. I watched him get into the jeep and pull down the driveway. I wrapped my arms around myself and let out a sob. Nathan walked up behind me and put his arm around me, pulling me into his side. As much as I hated this, I knew it was the only choice I had. I didn't have to like it, I didn't have to be happy about it, I just had to do what I was brought back to do even if that meant breaking my own heart.

"Are you ready?" Nathan asked as I pulled myself together. I looked around the house and let out a heavy sigh as I pulled on my coat.

"Yeah, I'm ready."

**X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X~X**

**EPILOGUE**

Maggie had been gone for 2 weeks. The boys tried to get through the end of the semester but it was clear that Maggie wasn't the only one who needed to check out early. Jackson took off early as well and so did Allison. It seemed like their first day of sophomore year all over again as the days drudged on. Derek and Isaac were too hard to get ahold of but the boys didn't really care. Maggie had called the boys once telling them not to even bother trying to call because she didn't get service on the water but it didn't stop Stiles from leaving her messages on occasion or sending her texts. She did say she would send postcards which helped Stiles get through the silence. Scott was indifferent. Something about how she swung by on her way out of town made him suspicious. Maggie would have talked to him. She would have at least let him call her to keep in touch but it's like she didn't want to talk to him for too long in fear she might say something she didn't want him to know. All she did was hug him and tell him something about first loves and open wounds that he wanted so badly to ask her about but she was already gone before he could.

He didn't get to talk to her about what he was going to do about Allison. He didn't get to talk to her about going to summer school. He didn't get to ask her what she meant or why she'd eve said it. The lacrosse season was over but he had made a promise to Stiles to help get him in the team captain position by next year. He was surprised by how Stiles was handling Maggie leaving. They'd just started to work out their feelings and he seemed completely okay with her leaving.

"Do you really think she's going to come back to you?" Stiles asked as they hopped out of the jeep.

"Yeah I know she is. Why do you say it like that?" Scott threw his hands out.

"I'm just saying, I mean a lot has happened." Scott stared at Stiles with his eyes wide.

"Which doesn't mean anything and of course she's going to come back to you. I mean why wouldn't she? You're a total catch." Stiles recovered making Scott roll his eyes.

"Speaking of catch, get in the goal." Scott should have known that was coming as he walked towards the goal.

"Did you get a postcard from Maggie yet?" Stiles looked up the moment Scott said her name but tried to hide his excitement.

"No..not yet. I'm sure it's at home though." Scott gave his best friend a look that made him scowl.

"What? What's with the judgey face?" Stiles waved his hand in a circle around his face mocking Scott. He thought carefully about what he was about to say as Stiles pulled out his lacrosse stick and dumped the balls on the ground next to his bag.

"So you told her you were in love with her and she said she needed a vacation?" Scott questioned suddenly, Stiles body tensing.

"No! Dude that's not…you promised we wouldn't talk about her." He did promise he would distract Stiles but he had to know.

"I'm sorry I'm just a little confused as to why you're so calm about all of this." Scott said as Stiles tossed the ball around in the net.

"She's been through a lot. I understand that she needs time to heal." Stiles shrugged.

"Yeah but time away from us? I mean we're not even allowed to call her. Don't you think that's a bit strange?" He wanted Stiles to feel as curious as him but he wasn't biting.

"It's for a few weeks. By the time we get out of school, she'll be back and our summer romance will begin. Now shut up and be happy for your best friends." Stiles pointed at him making Scott laugh.

"I am happy, you two are meant to be together. Just don't expect me to be the silent third wheel this summer." Scott groaned.

"You will absolutely be the silent third wheel while we make out and be super cute. I had to do it for you, now it's your turn. Bro code." Stiles tried to ready his feet to throw the ball at Scott but he stopped him.

"You know what? I'm right back where I started. No lacrosse, no popularity, no girlfriend, no Maggie. Nothing." Scott squinted at Stiles who stood up straight.

"Dude, you still got me." Stiles almost seemed offended.

"Yeah but I had you before." Scott shrugged and Stiles rolled his eyes.

"Yeah and you still got me okay? So life fulfilled. Before you know it all the perks will come back into your life, for now you and I will be working on making me even more awesome and if you're lucky maybe I'll give you kisses." Stiles teased.

"Shut up and throw the ball." Scott said readying himself in the goal.

"Remember no wolf powers...I mean it Scott. I'm trying to get my game up." Stiles warned before digging his feet into the ground. Scott tried not to smile as he waited for the ball to be thrown and caught it almost instantly.

"I SAID NO WOLF POWERS!" Stiles complained.

The boys worked on their lacrosse for a few hours going back and forth on just how epic their summer was going to be while on the other side of Beacon Hill's Preserve a war was brewing.

Derek, Isaac and Peter walked towards the shell of Derek's childhood home to see the symbol etched into the red door. Derek knew the symbol. He knew who it belonged to and he knew it was bad news.

"You haven't told him everything yet, have you?" Peter spoke up as Isaac looked at the symbol confused.

"What's he talking about?" Isaac turned around and looked at Derek but he remained silent.

"Why do you think Derek was in such a hurry to build his pack? So eager to strengthen his power and his number?" Peter asked making Isaac shrug.

"I thought it was to protect Maggie from the Argent's." Peter rolled his eyes at Isaac.

"When there's a new alpha, people take notice but when two Hale's rise to power...that brings not so friendly people." Peter looked away from the house hating that it was still even standing.

"What kind of people?" Isaac questioned walking up on the porch and getting a look at the symbol. Something about it was familiar to him. He'd read it in a book or something but he knew it from some place.

"What is this? What does it mean?" Isaac ran his fingers over it carefully. It was like Derek's but much more aggressive and sharp.

"It's their symbol." Derek finally spoke.

"Who are they?" Isaac watched Derek grind his teeth at the symbol.

"Alphas." Isaac's eyebrows went up in surprise thinking he might have heard him wrong.

"Alphas plural? Like more than one?" He questioned looking between both Derek and Peter now.

"A pack of them. They're coming." Derek seemed worried but he was relieved that Maggie wasn't around for it. He knew it would be hard to handle with just Isaac and Peter but all he wanted to do was keep her safe.

"How the hell are we supposed to fight an alpha pack?" Isaac shook his head but the three of them turned their heads to the person walking through the trees towards them. Derek and Isaac seemed shocked but Peter simply smiled at his daughter.

"United…with brute force. The only way we're going to be able to take them down is if we stick together as a pack. No one else can help us. We're on our own. We hit them as hard as we can, as fast as we can and they'll either leave Beacon Hills on their own or in bloodied pieces." Maggie spoke firmly as she looked at the three men that stood before her. Isaac kept his eyes on Maggie and gave he a nod.

"I'm with you." Isaac didn't need to ask questions. He didn't care why Maggie was back so soon and why she already knew there was a huge threat. He would always be game to help her, no matter what.

"You certainly are your father's daughter. I don't think I've ever been prouder." Peter smirked as he leaned off of the tree. Derek looked over at Peter with worry and frowned at Maggie who seemed oddly different.

"What are you doing here? You're supposed to be away for awhile, healing and laying low." Derek questioned walking towards her.

"I'm healed Derek. I'm healed and I'm learning to use my abilities and training with Deaton." Peter laughed.

"Of course because he can teach you things that we can't." He rolled his eyes.

"Yes he can. You didn't hear me approach, didn't catch my scent and yet I've been in Beacon Hills for awhile." Maggie cut her eyes at Peter and he seemed to take the hint.

"An alpha pack isn't something we can train for-" Derek started but Maggie stepped towards him.

"You're right, it's not. I'm not just training for them, I'm training for every threat that thinks it can hurt the people of Beacon Hills. I'm going to master my abilities and then we're going to make an example out of this alpha pack so that whatever creature or human alike decides to step foot in Beacon Hills that the Hale's are protecting this territory." Maggie looked at Derek with a strength he'd never seen before, a fierceness that he'd only seen in his mother and sisters.

Maggie wasn't just the Nyvolore. She was a force to be reckoned with.


	16. Leave A Message

_"Hey it's Maggie, you've reached my voice mail. Feel free to leave your thoughts or top 3 trivial issues of the day after the beep and I'll try and get back to you as soon as I can."_

"Hey it's me...Stiles...obviously. I don't know why I always feel like I need to identify myself when I leave you a message. I mean I have a very distinct voice pattern and you know, with your hearing you could hear me whispering from the top of a 20 story building." Stiles paced around in his room looking at the picture of Maggie on his desk freshly dusted.

"Let's see today's top 3 trivial issues for today: oh yeah Harris' had a complete shit fit because you were almost top of his class. It would appear that you telling him how crappy his teaching is left him pretty salty when you proved that you in fact already knew everything about chemistry. Second thing would be how Scott has to now bail on helping me become team captain next year because he's got to attend summer classes if he wants to be a junior with us so that blows. Looks like it'll be me and you for most of the summer which I'm totally cool with. Lastly the empty seat in class where you used to sit drives me nuts. It's like a big gaping hole in the middle of the room and I keep trying to sit someplace else so I don't have to stare at it but Danny keeps thinking I'm staring at him." Stiles plopped down on his bed and let out a sigh.

"I guess the overall thoughts of today would be that even though you've only been gone two weeks, I miss you like crazy." Stiles licked his lips knowing there would be no reply on the other end of the phone no matter how much he wish there would be.

"I hope you hear this and it makes you smile. Take care of yourself Maggie." Stiles hung up the phone and let it rest against his chest. This is how most of Stiles day's started and ended. He'd call Maggie's phone just to hear her voice on her voice mail. He wasn't the only one who called it though.

_"Hey it's Maggie, you've reached my voice mail. Feel free to leave your thoughts or top 3 trivial issues of the day after the beep and I'll try and get back to you as soon as I can."_

"Hey Mags, just wanted to call and check up on you. This whole not being able to talk to you or see you kind of has me on edge. Stiles says you might check you messages so I figured I'd give it a shot." Scott was sitting at a table in the library, trying to keep his voice down.

"I don't know if I'm going to be able to handle going the whole summer without talking to you and Allison. I'm really struggling and I know it's only been a few weeks. I just thought it might be easier to handle with you here but since you aren't it's even worse. I guess I just miss having you around to tell me that everything will be okay." Scott stared down at his summer school application and knew that he would have zero time to spend hanging out between working enough hours to be able to afford summer school classes.

"I hope you're alright where ever you are. I miss you. Come home soon." Scott didn't call Maggie often. He knew she would be back soon and didn't want to bombard her with too many messages. Plus he knew that Stiles was abusing the voice mail almost every day. The Sheriff had finally suggested that Stiles go out after school instead of lounging around the house waiting to make his phone call to Maggie's cell phone. He'd suspected that his dad called someone because he'd gotten a call from an old childhood friend, Heather who wanted to hang out with him out of the blue. He didn't mind hanging out with her but he kind of felt bad he couldn't focus on catching up with her when Maggie was on his mind.

_"Hey it's Maggie, you've reached my voice mail. Feel free to leave your thoughts or top 3 trivial issues of the day after the beep and I'll try and get back to you as soon as I can."_

"So I think my dad is either trying to set me up or get me to appear less pathetic. This of course, is my first trivial issue of the day. Do you remember Heather Reynolds? Yeah well she called me out of the blue the other day and wants to catch up. She looks completely different. I don't know what it is about you dark haired girls always wanting to lighten your hair. Don't think I've forgotten about you wanting to go blonde all those years ago. Thank God Melissa stopped you." Stiles chuckled at the memory.

"Second trivial issue is that I kind of feel like a dick talking to her. I mean she was telling me about her life after she sort of went her own way and all I could think about was you. I mean I tried to listen and be attentive but then when she asked me about my life all I could think to tell her was about you coming back and all the thing's I've been kind of planning for us this summer. I hope that doesn't freak you out. I'm just excited for you to come back." Stiles smiled as he parked the jeep in his driveway. The voice mail beeped before Stiles could finish his message. That happened to him often but he was always afraid to call back and finish the message because of how full the inbox might get.

Heather was so bubbly and enthusiastic now that she'd gotten older. She was really shy when they were kids but she'd sort of grown into her own over the years. She was more confident and vibrant, it was hard to even remember the girl he knew as a kid just looking at the young woman she'd become. Stiles took note of how she casually flirted with him and rubbed her hand over his growing head of hair.

"So are you growing your hair out for Maggie or are you trying to get in touch with your old mop top?" She teased making Stiles touch his head.

"I don't really know. I mean I just sort of wanted a change I guess." Stiles shrugged.

"You know girls do that. I know whenever I go on vacation and there is a guy back home I want to impress, I always make sure I come back looking extra hot. Makes them realize how much they missed you." Heather nudged Stiles with her shoulder making him blush.

"I don't think Maggie will really be blown away by my hair." Stiles knew Maggie thought he was attractive. She had told him so before but he did kind of hope that maybe if he looked a little different, a little more mature, that she'd find him even more attractive. He didn't want to just be her childhood crush anymore. He wanted to be her boyfriend. He also knew that it wasn't about looks for her. She liked him in his awkward phase so it was more of growing out of his old shell and becoming boyfriend material. No one wants to introduce a scrawny kid as their boyfriend.

"Well if the hair doesn't do it then these muscles will. You've been working out?" Heather continued to flirt with Stiles and he merely laughed it off. He didn't mind being silly with her because of their history but Heather knew that he only had Maggie on the brain.

When school days turned into half days, Stiles took over the job of picking Lizzy up after school again. She was excited to hear that Maggie was going to come back and spend the summer with Stiles. Stiles liked that he could talk to Lizzy about Maggie and not feel sad or stupid for missing her so much. He often took her to the park to play and talk about the postcards she sent.

"What are you going to do when she comes back?" Lizzy asked as she crawled onto Stiles lap to stand on his knees.

"I don't know yet. I mean I didn't really make any plans. I just sort of figured we could figure it out together?" Stiles shrugged as he pushed off the ground to swing them both back and forth.

"You don't have a plan at all? You should have a plan. You don't do well without a plan." Lizzy frowned making Stiles cock his eyebrow up at her.

"Hey, I'm very good on the fly...sort of." Stiles defended. Lizzy shook her head at Stiles slowly breaking him down to admitting that he was in fact no good on the fly.

"What do you suggest then?" He questioned as they walked from the park back to his house.

"Girls like to be wooed, you've got to plan something nice for her like dinner with candles and flowers...and cake" Stiles stared at the little girl, eyebrows pinned together.

"I don't know if Maggie is one of those kind of girls though. I mean she's different." Stiles thought about how flowers would probably drive her crazy because of her wolf senses and candles might be a bit over the top.

"Everyone likes cake. Only crazy people don't like cake. Maybe you should buy her something nice?" Lizzy suggested kicking a rock as she walked next to him.

"I gave her a necklace before she left. It seems a bit too much to buy her something else. What about making her something?" Stiles threw his hands out and Lizzy eyed him.

"Like what?" Stiles tried to rack his brain for something he could possibly make for Maggie that she would like. He snapped his fingers and looked at Lizzy.

"A mix! She loves mix CD's! That's perfect!" Stiles jumps around excitedly making Lizzy laugh at him as they raced into his house. They both spend a good 2 hours working on a mix CD that Lizzy deems lovey dovey enough for a potential girlfriend. He picked up his phone and dialed Maggie's number the moment it finished burning.

 _"Hey it's Maggie, you've reached my voice mail. Feel free to leave your thoughts or top 3 trivial issues of the day after the beep and I'll try and get back to you as soon as I can._ "

"Hey! It's me. I just wanted to let you know that Lizzy and I were thinking about you today. Our three trivial issues would be that you obviously aren't here to enjoy some pretty awesome swinging time with us, that Lizzy is growing up way too fast and finally that she knows way more about dating than I do which is both strange and sad. We miss you. I miss you." Lizzy was making hand gestures at Stiles and DATE was written on a piece of paper she was holding.

"Oh and if you could let me know on your next postcard what day you're coming back exactly, that'd be awesome. I wanted to take you out on a real date...I mean if you want. I'm sure you'll be tired but-" Lizzy giggled as Stiles started to crash and burn with his mumbling but he put his hand over her mouth and shook his head.

"We'll talk about it when you get home. Talk to you soon...hopefully." Stiles hung up the phone and looked down at Lizzy.

"How was that?" He asked letting out a nervous breath. She tilted her hand in the air and he snorted.

"That's it. You're getting tickled." Stiles tossed his phone on the bed and Lizzy ran out of the room screaming as Stiles chased her. Stiles kept telling himself that it wouldn't be long now before school was out and Maggie would be home. He just had to occupy himself until then. Absence makes the heart grow fonder or so he was told. He just hoped that was true for both of them.


	17. New Routine

Maggie felt the muscles in her arms burning. She was used to the burn now as she pushed her body weight up and down off the floor doing a hundred more push ups than she'd done the day before. Every aspect of her training was physical. Honing her fighting skills wasn't hard. It was like dancing for her. She played loud music when she trained and as much as Isaac tried to keep up, he couldn't. Derek watched her become more and more focused on being able to control her body movements. He didn't know why she's decided to isolate herself from the others. It couldn't have just been because of what happened with Gerard although he did watch her closely every evening, rubbing at her aching bones.

Deaton had taught her how to hide her scent. It was certain wolves that could harness that ability and it usually took some time but Maggie was picking up so much, so quickly for both control her wolf and using her magic. They realized pretty quickly that the three of them would need a proper place to not only train but to live which resulted in them finding a fairly cheap, pretty secluded loft on the edge of town. There wasn't a whole lot of foot traffic because it was a warehouse district but it was cozy enough for the three of them. Derek made sure Maggie got the room upstairs and Isaac was downstairs just in case he got any ideas. He almost felt stupid for worrying about furnishing the loft while Maggie trained but she seemed to appreciate it. He often found her up late, leafing through the spell books and practicing simple spells.

"You train all day and practice spells all night. You need to sleep too, you know." Derek sat some tea in front of Maggie before sitting on the couch next to her.

"Did you know that I could snap someone's neck just flicking my wrist?" Maggie's words caught Derek off guard. She looked over at him and saw the confusion on his face.

"If I concentrate hard enough, I can make someone's blood boil." Maggie held his gaze for a few moments before shaking her head.

"I never realized just how heavy some of this stuff was until I started to focus on it." Derek read the spin of one of the books.

"You've got to be careful with some of these Maggie. Protecting yourself with magic is one thing but when it becomes too dark, that's when it's hard for you come back. I don't want to see you-" Maggie shook her head at Derek.

"I'm not going to go dark side. I just didn't realize how powerful I could be. I feel like I can finally protect people now that I have the knowledge and the strength." Maggie explained putting Derek at ease slightly. He sat silently watching her use her magic to stir the spoon in her tea. He worried that she had taken on too much at once and without having Scott or Stiles to help her decompress, she might become more withdrawn.

They had been waiting for the alpha pack to make contact with them after Derek sent a very stern warning for them to leave town before thing's got messy but they still hadn't heard back yet. Maggie wanted to be prepared for the worst case scenario which meant practicing spells and training 24/7. Derek would leave her on the couch and listen for her until she finally trudged up the steps to her room. He wished she'd have put more in it but she had said her home was with Nathan. She called him nightly to check in with him while he was at sea and let him know what was going on. Nathan and Derek had come to an agreement before he took off that no matter what, he would contact him if something happened with Maggie. Derek wasn't sure about him at first but Nathan trusted him to take care of Maggie, without even really knowing him. He was operating under Maggie's word and assurance so he tried to do the same.

Maggie worked in the books until she passed out on the couch and Isaac woke up every morning to cover her up with a blanket. He was also shocked at how hard Maggie focused on embracing her skills. She stopped practice fighting him when she almost ripped his arm out of the socket one day but he often got lost in watching her fight. For someone so small, she moved with such force that not even Derek could win every fight. Her speed seemed to increase every day and she constantly ended her work outs with a broken heavy bag.

"You don't have to break it every day. You can go easier, if not for your hands than do it for the bag at least." Isaac saw Maggie rubbing her hands and shaking them out.

"How's your arm?" Maggie asked curiously earning an eye roll from Isaac.

"I told you I was fine. Perks of werewolf healing. How are the hands?" He gestured to Maggie's hands as she wiped sweat from her forehead.

"As good as they usually are. I figured if I keep pushing it to the limit on days that I have to have dinner with Peter, I won't be able to pick up a fork and eat. Maybe he'll take the hint." Maggie used the towel on her shoulder to wipe her face off. She didn't have a lot of time to get ready for tonight but Peter would still tell her how pretty she looked even if she looked like she just ran a marathon. After showing up in the preserve that day and explaining to Derek, Isaac and Peter that she needed her training to be a secret from the others, Peter used that to his advantage. Maggie now had to have dinner with her father twice a week so they could get a chance to really know each other, or so Peter pitched. Derek told her she didn't have to go for it but Maggie knew she couldn't have any loose ends right now. There was still plenty of training she had to do and with the alpha pack still looming, she made sure to shower and arrive by 7PM every Tuesday and Thursday night.

"You look exhausted per usual. You don't ever seem to let up when you have something on your mind. Just like your mother." Maggie pushed the food around on her plate as she sat at the dinner table with Peter across from her.

"Why do you always bring her up? I mean, do you think that's really the best angle to work considering she tried to keep you away from me for the majority of my life?" Maggie questioned Peter making him shake his head.

"I'd never use your mother as an angle. I loved your mother very much and I see a lot of her in you. I don't know why you think I want anything but your company." Peter said making Maggie narrow her gaze at him.

"Yes I killed you but look at you now. You're embracing what you are, you're rising to the surface of your powers and taking control. Your mother would be proud. I know it doesn't mean anything to you but I'm proud of you too." Maggie shook her head at him.

"How do you expect me to sit here and act like things are so normal between us. Even if I bought that you killed me to help me rise to my potential, which just saying out loud sounds ridiculous, what makes you think that I'd even want you in my life? I've got plenty of father figures and I don't need anymore guardians." Maggie asked putting her fork down. Peter let out a sigh and mimicked her position, taking in her disdain for him.

"I don't expect you to look at me like a father. You can doubt that I care about you, you can question my motivates all you want but you can't question how I felt about your mother. She was the greatest love I've ever had and it..." Peter put his hand to his mouth getting visibly choked up. Maggie could hear the flutter in his heartbeat and realized he was sharing a genuine emotion with him.

"It killed me to find out about your mother. I nearly didn't recover in the hospital after that. Knowing that she was gone destroyed whatever humanity I had left. I've been fighting to gain power ever since, not to rule but to avenge her death. Your mother took you in order to protect you but I know she'd never talk horribly about me. She knew that I was excited about your birth. Circumstances changed and she had to do what was best for you, which meant I couldn't be in your life. I don't hold any contempt for her for keeping you safe all these years. I only wish I could have been there to protect you both." Maggie listened to his heartbeat closely for stutters and heard none but she also knew that her father was a very good liar. There was no fighting her reservations about him but her curiosity got the better of her.

"How...how did you two meet?" Maggie asked trying to make the effort she knew her mother would want. Peter looked a bit surprised but his mood changed instantly.

"The Stevens and the Hales were very close families. Your grandmother and my mother were very close. I grew up with your mother and her sisters. They all despised me." He laughed recalling his younger years.

"Mostly because I was a cocky know-it-all but I think your mother admired my confidence. She had no problem putting me in my place though. Her magic was strong and she never missed an opportunity to use it on me. She once did a spell that made my hair blue and refused to lift it until after my school pictures were taken. My mother was not pleased." Maggie smiled to herself, thinking about how badass her mom was and how she didn't take crap from Peter made her proud.

"Your mother was my first love, much like how you are with Stiles." Maggie's eyes fluttered towards her father to see what he was getting at but he just frowned at her.

"I was wrong about him and I'm sorry for that." Peter gave her a nod catching her off guard with his apology. She knew how he felt about Stiles, hell everyone knew how he felt about Stiles but having him say that he was wrong about him and that he was sorry made Maggie feel almost relieved. They finished their dinner around 9 after Peter had pulled out a few pictures of Maggie's mother as a teenager for her to have and when Derek heard her come in but go straight to the roof instead of into the loft, he went to check on her. She was sitting on the edge of the building, something Derek hated that she did but didn't feel right about pressing it. Whenever she came back from dinner with Peter, things were different. He felt like he needed to remind her that she would be okay and that he was there for her.

"He gave me these." Maggie held up the pictures to show Derek and he took them carefully into his hands looking at the pictures of her mother and Peter. He was kid when the Stevens family was a huge part of their lives but he remembered how much his mother took to them.

"She's beautiful, you've got a lot of her features." Derek said honestly handing her the pictures back. She nodded her head and looked down at how far the drop would be from the top of the building all the way down to the dark streets.

"Every time I want to push him away, I think about what my mom said and I just feel like I'm wrong. I feel like fighting him would disappoint her." Maggie explained making Derek nervous.

"I know that he's not a good man, I know that I'll never be able to trust him but what am I supposed to do with that? I know I should be grateful to have my father in my life especially without my mom around but how am I supposed to just put aside what my gut is telling me?" Maggie looked over at Derek desperate for answers but he just shook his head.

"I don't know. I'm not good with this sort of thing. This is typically something Scott would help you with." Maggie's heart fluttered at the mention of Scott's name and Derek bit his tongue. There was a few moments of silence before Maggie let a heavy breath out.

"They'll understand." Derek said watching her carefully but she shook her head.

"No they won't. Stiles told me that he was in love with me and Scott didn't even get a proper goodbye. They'll be angry and bitter and it'll be completely justified." Maggie kept her eyes staring at the darkness of the night.

"If it keeps them safe and out of all of this then they can hate me." Maggie said sadly. She swung her legs back from the edge of the building and hopped down.

"I have to check in with Nathan. I'll see you in the morning for training." Maggie left Derek on the roof to make her phone call. Derek felt Maggie sinking into a darkness that he recognized. It scared him. He wasn't sure he'd be able to battle the darkness in her without Scott and Stiles.


	18. Missing in Action

School had been out for 3 weeks now and there was still no sign of Maggie or Nathan. Stiles worry had amplified when the postcards stopping coming and he still couldn't reach Maggie on her cellphone. They tried tracking her phone but she kept it off most of the time which made it impossible to find. Scott was starting to worry about his best friend's sanity as drove by the house frequently, started tracking boats and weather with fear that she'd become shipwrecked.

_"Hey it's Maggie, you've reached my voice mail. Feel free to leave your thoughts or top 3 trivial issues of the day after the beep and I'll try and get back to you as soon as I can."_

"Hey Mags, where the hell are you? Stiles is really starting to worry about you, we're both worried about you. You should have been home by now and he's going crazy with worry. His dad caught him trying to call in the Coast Guard the other day. If you aren't fully decompressed by now, then I don't know if you'll ever be fully ready to come back." Scott was worried about Maggie but he knew what she was capable of. She could be shipwrecked and still find a way to communicate with them if she wanted to.

"I don't know what's going on with you or why you feel like you can't talk to us but please just call him. He needs to know you're okay. _I_ need to know you're okay." Scott ended the call convinced she'd never hear his message but he knew he had to try, for Stiles sake.

Stiles worked day and night trying to figure out a way to track Nathan's boat down. He tried getting ahold of Derek and seeing if he'd talked to her but Derek never answered his phone either apparently.

"She's probably fine. Maybe she just lost her phone?" Scott said as they made their way past Maggie's place for their daily drive by.

"I finally figured out what Nathan's boat was called so I can track the boat myself." Stiles explained making Scott eye him.

"Legally?" He questioning earning a skeptical look.

"You really have to stop asking me that. It only makes you an accomplice." Stiles shook his head but Scott slapped his arm.

"Dude...the boat...it's docked." Stiles slammed on his breaks looking at what Scott was pointing to and causing his best friend to hit the dashboard. Nathan's boat was indeed docked back in front of the tavern which only meant once thing.

"She's back." Stiles breathed before stepping on the gas and continuing down the road to the house. He felt his stomach jumping as he made some pretty dangerous turns down the road but he didn't care. He was excited and nervous. He hadn't seen Maggie in almost two months.

"Dude play it cool." Stiles came to a screeching halt down the driveway and hit Scott on the chest.

"Me play it cool? Stiles you're entire body is doing that nervous twitch thing. Calm down." Scott gripped Stiles shoulder trying to get him to calm down but it didn't help. The boys practically ran down the gravel way towards the house but the door opened quickly to reveal a very surprised Nathan.

"Hey man! Welcome back! How was your trip?" Stiles asked throwing his arms out in excitement but Scott stopped him, keeping his eyes on Nathan. Stiles looked at his best friend confused.

"What? What is it?" Stiles questioned growing nervous.

"Where is she?" Scott asked making Stiles look at Nathan.

"Wait...she isn't...how do you-" Scott cut Stiles off.

"There's only one heartbeat and your scent is off. Where is she?" Scott asked again with more force this time.

"Off how? How is her scent off?" Stiles had no idea what was going on. All he knew was something about how Scott had suddenly tensed made him nervous.

"Her scent is faded on him, like she hasn't been with him at all." Scott explained but Nathan just shook his head. Scott advanced towards Nathan and he put his hands up.

"She's safe." Nathan said quickly but that wasn't enough for Scott. He grabbed Nathan by the front of his shirt and backed him into the side of the house making him drop a bag.

"That's not what I asked you. Where the hell is she?" Scott growled through his teeth and Stiles put his hand on Scott's back.

"Scott, calm down man." Stiles wanted to know what was going on but he knew letting Scott tear Nathan apart would only upset Maggie.

"I can't tell you where she is. All I can tell you is that she's okay. I'm sorry I can't-" Scott slammed him against the house once more making Nathan grit his teeth together.

"WHERE IS SHE?!" Scott demanded. Nathan put his hands up surrender but he still wouldn't answer the question.

"Is she at least in the states? Is she with someone we know? Do you have a way to contact her?" Stiles bombarded him with questions that he still wouldn't answer until he became annoyed.

"If I could tell you, I would tell you. Trust me. I wish I could give you peace of mind but I just can't. I'm sorry." Nathan frowned at Stiles as he grinded his teeth. Stiles didn't want an apology. He wanted to know where Maggie was.

"Fine you don't want to answer my questions? That's fine." Stiles pulled out his cellphone and called his dad. The Sheriff had arrived 15 minutes after the call had been placed. Nathan was now sitting with his head in his hands on the deck with Scott watching his every move as John asked him questions about where his trip took him and where Maggie was. He answered questions but still not where Maggie was.

"You do realize that I can arrest you until you tell me, don't you?" The Sheriff warned and Nathan shook his head.

"Do what you have to do Sheriff." Nathan stuck his hands out for the Sheriff to cuff him and Stiles lost it.

"JUST TELL US WHERE SHE IS! WE HAVEN'T SEEN HER IN MONTHS, WE JUST NEED TO TALK TO HER!" Stiles shoved Nathan backwards into the chair and the Sheriff held his son back.

"Son, you've got to calm down." John put his hand on Stiles chest feeling how hard his heart was beating.

"Dad...I've got to know. I've got to know she's alright. I just-" John looked back at Nathan seeing remorse on his face.

"You know these kids have been through hell together. I'm not asking you as the Sheriff, I'm asking you as a father, where is Maggie?" The boys looked from the Sheriff to Nathan as he started to get upset.

"I can't tell you that." Nathan said pained.

"You can't or you won't?" Stiles asked equally pained by the situation. The Sheriff ended up arresting Nathan and taking him down to the station for further questioning while Scott and Stiles waited outside of the interrogation room anxiously. Scott listened into the room but Nathan wasn't giving anymore information than he was before. He just kept saying that she was in good hands and being taken care of. The Sheriff finally came out of the interrogation room and walked both the boys to his office.

"We can only hold him overnight but I think that's all we'll need. He keeps looking at the clock like he's waiting for something-" The Sheriff was interrupted when a cellphone started to ring in a bag on his desk.

"Who's phone is it?" Scott asked looking at the Sheriff who pulled the phone out quickly.

"It's Nathan's." He looked at the caller ID but there was no name. They answered the phone and tried to stay as quiet as they could.

"Hey sorry I'm calling so late, thing's got really crazy today but I'm okay. I promise." Stiles had to put his hands on the desk to steady himself.

"Maggie? Is that you?" The Sheriff spoke making the line go silent for a few moments. The line hadn't been disconnected but she didn't speak again. Stiles couldn't handle the mere seconds that passed with silence.

"Maggie, where the hell are you?!" Stiles demanded before the line went dead.

"MAGGIE! DAMMIT!" Stiles picked up the phone and tossed it into the wall before his father could get it out of his hands.

"Where is she!? Why is she doing this?! Why won't she talk to me?!" Stiles could feel his chest start to tighten and things around him become blurry.

"Son...son you've got to breathe okay?" Scott watched the Sheriff sit Stiles down in the chair in front of his desk as he struggled to catch his breath.

"Scott get him some water." Scott ran out of the room to get Stiles water as the Sheriff tried to talk his son out of a panic attack.

"Why...why won't she..." Stiles couldn't get the words out. Scott rushed back in with water, spilling most of it on the floor but he could hear how fast Stiles heart was racing and he was worried.

"What's happening?" Scott asked over the Sheriff's shoulder as Stiles squeezed his eyes shut as he finally started to calm himself down. Stiles took the water with shaky hands looking up at his father embarrassed.

"Panic attack...he hasn't had one of those in-" Stiles cut his father off.

"It's been awhile but not as long as you think." Stiles looks over at Scott who still has a worried expression on his face.

"I'm fine Scott. I just...what the hell is going on with her?" Stiles asked Scott like he might have a clue and it killed him that he didn't have an answer for him. It was killing him that what he feared was really true and it was hurting Stiles.

"You two should-" Scott shook his head at the Sheriff.

"I'll get him home." The Sheriff looked between the boys giving them both a saddened smile of hope. The boys rode to Stiles house in silence. Scott kept looking over at Stiles but all he did was shrug and say he was fine. Scott didn't point out that he was lying. He'd been through enough for one night. He knew Stiles wouldn't go home and sleep. That's just not the way he was wired.

"You know you don't have to stay. I'm not going to like cry or anything." Stiles let Scott walk into the house with him but Scott shook his head.

"I know you aren't. You're going to go upstairs and start hacking into Nathan's phone records to trace that phone call and I'm going to make you some coffee." Stiles eyed Scott for a moment almost like he was surprised to see how well his best friend knew him but Scott gave him a nod.

"We'll find her and figure out what the hell is going on." Scott said firmly walking past Stiles into the kitchen to make him some coffee. Scott waited until he heard Stiles go up to his room before pulling out his phone and dialing.

_"Hey it's Maggie, you've reached my voice mail. Feel free to leave your thoughts or top 3 trivial issues of the day after the beep and I'll try and get back to you as soon as I can."_

"I don't know what the hell is going on with you, I don't know where the hell you are or why you thought you had to lie to us but it's over Maggie. You need to call me back. I'm not screwing around okay? Stiles had a freak out in the station. I haven't seen him this bad since the night you died." Scott tried to keep himself calm as he left the message but all he kept seeing was Stiles falling apart in the station.

"You lied to us Maggie. I don't know why you thought you had to hide something after everything we've all been through together but bottom line is you lied and it's hurting Stiles." Scott spotted some sleep aid on top of the fridge and decided that he was going to make sure his best friend didn't kill himself over trying to find Maggie when she clearly didn't want to be found.

"You want to know the really sad part...I knew something was off. I knew the whole thing was off. You wouldn't just leave like that. You wouldn't just tell us not to bother calling you. We're supposed to be a family, Maggie. We're supposed to have eachother's backs and be there for one another." Scott was struggling between being angry and being upset. Why wouldn't Maggie talk to him about whatever it was that was so important she'd disappear without a trace for?

"I don't know if you're checking these messages but I know you're at least alive and well enough to answer a phone. Call Stiles and tell him why you lied before he starts blaming himself." Scott's words reflected how he felt but he knew Stiles was worried about the same thing. He'd taken a huge leap with Maggie and was seriously convinced she would come back prepared to start a relationship with him.

Everything was going to change now and it was only going to get worse before it got better. Scott hung up the phone before taking the spiked coffee upstairs to Stiles and watching him quickly drain it before showing Scott how he could possibly get access to another line if they were to break into Maggie's house. He was passed out on his face within the hour and the Sheriff walked in to find Scott sitting in the computer chair.

"How'd you get him to sleep? I thought for sure he'd be up late trying to come up with a way to find her." The Sheriff questioned walking into the room to look at his son passed out cold with his blanket pulled up to his chest.

"I put one of those sleeping pills in some coffee." Scott explained making the Sheriff smile softly.

"That was probably smart thinking." The Sheriff walked over to Stiles and made sure he was tucked in before walking out of the room with Scott.

"Maggie called the station." Scott turned around surprised.

"What did she say? Is she okay?" Scott questioned seeing the frown on the Sheriff's face.

"As far as I can tell she's fine. She's apparently taking some sort of spiritual retreat. Nathan signed off on it and as her main legal guardian, it's all legal. She said that she checks in with Nathan daily and that she doesn't want to have any other contact with the outside world while she's trying to figure some things out." Scott could tell the Sheriff didn't buy the story just as much as Scott didn't but it was the story she gave him and he knew he couldn't really question it.

"So it's out of our hands." Scott sighed.

"Yeah for now it is. We can't make her contact us and we can't make her come home. She's got to want to do both of those things." The Sheriff sat down on the couch and rubbed his hands down his face.

"This is going to really mess him up. He had his heart set on starting this love affair with her over the summer and now...I just don't know what he's going to do now." Scott didn't know what to say to comfort the Sheriff. They both knew that Stiles would obsess over this all summer and even then there was no real guarantee that Maggie would come back once school started back up. They were stuck with very few facts and only partial truth to get them by and Scott knew that there was no way that would be enough to keep Stiles sane. Stiles was going to dwell on this like he did with everything else that was a mystery to him but Scott wasn't ready to watch Stiles drive himself crazy over Maggie. Love shouldn't be that way.


	19. Us or Them

" _Maggie this is a really bad idea._ " Isaac's words repeated in Maggie's head as she blacked out. She knew there was no time to waste after finding out the alpha pack had Erica and Boyd. Boyd's blood smeared on Derek's camero window sent her into a panic. Against Deaton and Derek's warning, Maggie went full out to locate Boyd and Erica before gearing up and going on a rescue mission alone. Isaac wasn't going to let her go without back up but they both should have known that things wouldn't go as planned. The moment they walked into the shed they realized it was a trap. Maggie came to in a metal shed, arms bound with zip ties and head throbbing.

"Look at you little wolf. Time to wake up." Maggie blinked at the voice until she felt hot metal running down her back making her scream out. Her eyes shot open and she took in everything she could. There was a set of twins that looked to be 17 pacing around Isaac who was beaten bloody and being restrained by an extremely large bald man.

"What would a werewolf be doing with wolfsbane laced weapons? Don't you know those can kill you?" A girl with silver highlights in her hair walked around the front of Maggie and slid the blade over her exposed ribcage making her grit her teeth.

"That's enough Laci." A strong voice behind Maggie spoke up and the girl backed up rolling her eyes annoyed at the command.

"She's a very special kind of wolf, didn't you know?" Maggie kept her eye focused on Isaac.

"She doesn't look special to me." Laci looked Maggie up and down like she wasn't a threat, only reminding her that she could very easily break free but it could cost Isaac his life.

"You are far too easy to read Maggie. You're thinking about breaking free at this very moment but the only reason you haven't yet is because there is a very good chance Ennis will rip Isaac's throat out. If he doesn't than Ethan and Aiden will certainly tear into him." Maggie wished she could see the voice that seemed to know so much about her but he stayed out of view.

"Where are they? I know you have them. What do you want?" Maggie finally spoke looking around the room.

"Straight to business, I knew I liked you." The voice finally walked into view and Maggie saw that he was the man Deaton had warned her about.

"My name is-"

"Deucalion, I know who you are and I don't care. I want Boyd and Erica." Maggie interrupted him and was slashed down her back again.

"Show some respect!" Laci growled at her making Isaac thrash against Ennis' grip only to earn a punch from Aiden. Deucalion moved closer to Maggie so he could reach out and touch her face. She pulled back at first but Laci held onto her hair

"You have the beauty of both a Stevens and a Hale. It's no wonder Derek has taken to you so quickly. You've got some of Talia's features." Maggie waited for him to remove his hand before speaking.

"If you know who I am, what I'm capable of, why don't you just tell me what you want from me so we can make a deal." Maggie's voice was stern and focused staring Deucalion in the eyes.

"What I want is for you to rise to your true potential. You've been wasting away in this town, fighting miniscule monsters and pathetic hunters, you could be doing so much more." Maggie swallowed the lump in her throat. Deaton had warned her that the moment she became the Nyvolore, people would either come to destroy her or use her. Deucalion was making his motives clear very quickly.

"The last person who told me that tried to rip my heart out of my chest." Maggie explained seeing a look of disdain cross Deucalion's face.

"Your father has never been someone I've particularly liked but we won't get into that. Let's stay on task here shall we? I'm sure you want to know that your pack is safe so I'll allow one of them in." Deucalion gestured behind Maggie and the sound of a creaking door opened as feet shuffled. Erica was tossed to the floor in front of Maggie by a dark haired woman with no shoes.

"Erica!" Maggie said her name excited to see that she was alive but Erica looked weak. She got to her feet slowly and wrapped her arms around Maggie as tight as she could.

"Are you okay?" Maggie looked Erica over and she shook her head.

"We're fine but they're keeping us from shifting. You've got to get us out of here Maggie. If they don't kill us then we'll kill each other." Erica begged, feelings of guilt riddling Maggie instantly.

"I'm going to get you out! I won't let anything happen to you, I promise but you've got to stay strong Erica. Stay strong and keep fighting." Deucalion watched Maggie interact with Erica, telling her to keep fighting and not to be afraid. It was a quality some would admire but Deucalion found to be a weakness.

"Kali, take her away." Erica held onto Maggie as Kali tried to rip her away, Maggie and Erica both screaming with resistance but when she finally pulled them apart, Maggie felt desperate. She thrashed against the bindings and broke free quickly making the twins shift.

"Be very careful about your next move Maggie. We still have a handful of people that you care about." Deucalion reminded Maggie as she let her claws come out and her fangs drop into place. Ennis lifted Isaac up by his throat.

"What do you want from me?" Maggie demanded more forcefully.

"I want you to get angry. I want you to feel the bloodlust that runs through your veins and use it. I want you to shake your weaknesses and be the animal you are meant to be." Deucalion's voice changed drastically from the soft spoken blind man that had entered to a sneering, monster out for blood. Maggie growled as she watched the Ennis toss Isaac into the wall, dazing him. She ran towards him despite him being three times her size and started to trade blows with him. She was faster than he was but his strikes were much more powerful. Deucalion had slipped out of the room, calling Ennis after him but leaving the twins and Laci to deal with her and Isaac. She looked down at Isaac who was still motionless on the floor. The twins came at Maggie and she alternated hits between the two. She thought she was doing pretty well until she felt claws dig into her back and toss her backwards. Maggie jerked back and saw the twins run out of the door fleeing only leaving one last alpha. The woman who'd be torturing her smiling as she tossed Maggie's knife around in her hands, eyes glowing red as she had her arm wrapped around Isaac's neck.

"Come on little wolf. Let's play." Laci taunted Maggie only making her growl as she got to her feet and put her hand out. The sound of bones snapping made Isaac's stomach turn. Maggie was focusing her strength on the Alpha's legs which snapped inward. She howled in pain gripping Isaac now as support from falling to the ground but once Maggie's focused turned to the blade in her hand, it flew out of her hands into Maggie's causing her to lose her grip on Isaac entirely. Maggie was quick to push Isaac out of the way as she dug the blade deep into Laci's chest making her howl shake the room. Out of pure instinct, Maggie used her claws to rip the Alpha's throat out to silence the howl once and for all making sure that she was indeed dead.

"Maggie...MAGGIE! She's dead! SHE'S DEAD!" Isaac's voice brought Maggie back making her step away from Laci as she slid down the wall, bloodied and heart beating for the last time. Maggie dropped the blade on the ground and backed into the wall opposite the body that now lie motionless. Blood covered her hands and her heart was beating so loud she could hear it in her ears like a drum. She'd just killed someone. She'd just killed an alpha. She could faintly hear Isaac telling her that they needed to go before the others came back.

"Maggie!" Isaac screamed but before Maggie could turn around she felt something sharp dig into the back of her head. The world went black around her with Isaac's screams bouncing off the walls of her head.

Isaac watched Deucalion dig his claws into Maggie's head before letting her drop to the floor. He rushed him hoping he would be able to somehow take him out but Deucalion didn't flinch as Kali ran in beside him to put Isaac down. When he came to, there was no one in the room except the body of the alpha Maggie had killed and Maggie herself, lying unconscious next to him. Isaac got to his shaky legs and picked Maggie up to carry her back to the car. Her heart rate had slowed down the faster he drove towards Deaton's. He'd called Derek the moment he arrived at the clinic and it took him no time at all before he rushed over. They waited a few hours before Maggie came to after Deaton had repaired the claw marks on her back. She'd have scars but nothing she wasn't used to.

When she opened her eyes, both Deaton and Derek were standing there ready to give her a piece of their minds.

"What the hell were you thinking? They could have killed you." Derek yelled.

"That was very reckless Maggie. Your training is almost complete but that doesn't mean you can go off into suicide missions. I've given you plenty of resources to call for backup." Deaton scolded her much more calmly. Maggie remained silent though. She listened to them bitch her out while Isaac stood silently in the corner watching her carefully. He'd been bandaged up and watching her carefully, waiting for her to wake up.

"I killed one of them." Maggie finally spoke making everyone in the room freeze.

"What?" Derek breathed in shock.

"You killed one of the alphas?" Deaton pressed seeing Maggie stare off at her now bloodless hands.

"Maggie...who did you kill?" Deaton put his hand on her shoulder and she lifted her head to look at him.

"Deucalion said he wanted me to get angry...he wanted me to feel the bloodlust that runs through my veins and to use it. So I did. I killed Laci. I snapped the bones in her legs and ripped her throat out...and I felt nothing." Maggie scrunched her eyebrows together looking over at Derek.

"They have Erica and Boyd...they were hurting Isaac...I didn't know what else to do." She explained still clearly stunned but there were no tears in her eyes. She was not upset by the fact that she had killed someone, she was merely in shock that she was capable of doing such. Derek swallowed the lump in his throat as he stared back at her, clearly changed from having taken a life.

"You did what you had to do. You saved my life." Isaac finally spoke up making Maggie nod her head agreeing. Deaton pulled Derek out into the hallway and shut the door.

"If she killed one of their own, we won't have much time to retrieve Erica and Boyd." Deaton said as Derek stood still staring at the floor with his eyebrows pinned together.

"Deucalion took her something from her memories, there are claw marks in the back of her neck but we can't be sure what exactly it was that he took." Deaton explained further reaching out to shake Derek from his thoughts.

"They're going to kill her..." Derek spoke his fear outloud but Deaton shook his head.

"If they wanted to kill her, they would have. Which begs the question, why didn't they?" Deaton asked. Derek had sent Isaac and Maggie to the loft for her to get some sleep while he talked with Deaton further but Maggie couldn't sleep. She sat on the couch using the coffee table to work on more of the wolfsbane laced weapons she'd created. One positive thing that came out of being tortured by Gerard was the brilliant idea to have daggers that could not only stop a wolf but kill it. She knew they came in handy now that she'd used it to kill one of the alphas. Isaac padded across the floor seeing that Maggie wasn't sleeping and plopped down next to her.

"You're supposed to be resting." Isaac watched her hands sharpen the blade in her lap.

"I can't sleep." Maggie muttered not taking her eyes off of what she was doing. Isaac was worried about her. The truth is he'd been worried for awhile. The slip up she had with Stiles and Scott almost finding out where she was, she'd been distant. She had pushed herself all summer with the training and the lessons with Deaton that she'd sort of lost herself. It's like talking to someone with a million things going on in their head.

"I don't need you to watch me." Maggie pulled Isaac out of his thoughts unaware that he'd been staring at her.

"Maybe I like watching you." Isaac said making her eyebrow pop up.

"Are you flirting with a girl holding a weapon?" Maggie questioned still unable to take her eyes off the blade.

"She doesn't scare me...much." Isaac chuckled to himself but Maggie didn't find it funny.

"Maybe she should." Isaac reached over Maggie causing her to stop what she was doing to avoid hurting Isaac.

"Be careful! I could have-" She met Isaac's eyes.

"Maggie, you aren't going to hurt me. You couldn't hurt me." Isaac made Maggie put the blade on the table before taking her hands into his. He felt how shaky they were and he rubbed them between his trying to get the kinks out of them. She let out a breath, shaking her head.

"It's going to get worse before it gets better...if it ever gets better." She tilted her head back, closing her eyes.

"What you did was what needed to be done Maggie. We're going to get Erica and Boyd back and if we have to slaughter that entire pack, we will because it's us or them." Maggie looked at Isaac as he stroked her face with his thumbs on either side of her face. She leaned into his touch and let out a sigh.

"I just wish I could find a healthy medium. My mind feels likes it's racing but I'm afraid the moment it stops, I'm going to breakdown. I just need a distraction. I need to stay busy-" Maggie was cut off abruptly by Isaac's lips. She kept her eyes open in surprise and he didn't move his lips, letting them rest against Maggie's for a moment before pulling away.

"Wh-what are you-"

"Distracting you. You did save my life. Let me thank you." Isaac kept his lips close enough for Maggie to either pull away or go for it. She pulled back long enough to look at his face before going for it. She pushed her body on top of Isaac's making him wrap his arms around her as she pushed him down on the couch. Her lips were as frantic as his hands over her back running up the back of her shirt. When his hand met bandages he pulled away.

"Don't stop." Maggie breathed over top of him. Isaac hesitated and Maggie grabbed his hands repositioning them on her ass. Maggie grinded her hips down into Isaac's getting lost in the friction that was developing between their bodies. It was the first time in months that she felt like she wasn't floating away. If making out with Isaac on the couch was what it took to turn her brain off with her emotions than she would do exactly that. She would do whatever she could to escape the thoughts in her head.


	20. Keep On Keeping On

After his father told him about Maggie calling back, Stiles decided that he wouldn't waste anymore time trying to find Maggie. It was shocking to Scott but he could see that Stiles fear had turned to anger. He wasn't willing to talk about her, wasn't willing to let anyone else bring her up in conversation. It was almost like he'd regressed back to when Maggie first returned home but Scott could also smell the sadness on Stiles whenever he caught him in a daze of his own wandering thoughts. Scott couldn't bring himself to be completely mad at Maggie either. He needed to know her side of it. He always needed to know her side of things. There had to be a reason that she had lied to them. There had to be some reason that she would put them through this. He didn't want to believe that Maggie would knowingly hurt them but then he remembered a conversation they shared over spring break.

_"No matter what happens, where we all end up, we'll face it together. It's us until the very end."_

Scott remembered the conversation and how pained she seemed during the conversation but he felt stupid after the fact now that they were in a situation where she was actually hurting them unintentionally. Now Stiles was throwing himself into anything and everything to distract himself. He hung out with Heather a lot more, spent a lot of time working on his lacrosse skills and even dropping in every now and then to help Scott with his studying. Scott also found it easier to throw himself into his studies rather than worry about everything else. His mom had told him that it was best he concentrate on himself for a change so that's what he did.

Stiles had told his dad that he didn't want to talk about Maggie anymore. He explained that it was too hard to think about and it was even harder running into Nathan at a grocery store knowing that he wouldn't tell him where she was. He knew that she was alive and able to communicate with people but she made the choice not to contact him. He knew that if he kept dwelling on it, it would drive him crazy. The last postcard he got from Maggie told him simply:

**Please stop looking for me.**

No I'm sorry or I'm okay. Just that she wanted him to stop looking for her. The curious part of him wanted to know why, wanted to run down all the leads and find out where she was just to look her in the face and see that she was okay and knowingly pushing him out of her life. But he didn't. The last time he had called her cellphone to leave a final message the box had finally become full. He no longer had her voice to get him through and that crushed whatever spirit he had left. He threw himself into going out more. He had hung out with Scott some but he knew that his studies were more important if they wanted to start junior year together so he tried not to distract him. Heather had taken him out a few times to hear his sob story about Maggie but she did everything she could to take his mind off of her. He had gotten particularly drunk one night and she stopped him from cutting off his hair now that it was grown out. He stumbled into his room and plopped down so hard on his bed, he knocked everything off his nightstand.

"Shit." He cursed aloud leaning over and picking it all up. The moment his eyes skimmed over the walkie talkie, his thoughts drifted to Maggie. He picked up the walkie talkie angry that one thing could make his thoughts drift back to her. He had had a really good night not thinking about her once and just like that she found a way back into his head. Stiles laid back on his bed holding the walkie in front of his face staring at it for a moment before hitting the button on the side.

"You want to know something what really pisses me off? I mean besides the fact that you completely blew me off, lied about it and are now avoiding me like the plague?" Stiles spoke freely thinking no one would ever hear his drunken ramblings anyway.

"You always find a way into my head. I was having a perfectly good evening with Heather and I managed to actually have fun. We didn't talk about you or how shitty it is that you did what you did or even how miserable I am without you. I laughed and enjoyed talking about her big birthday party she was going to have that I could bring Scott to, I drank alcohol and managed to be a pretty humorous drunk according to Heather." Stiles defended.

"But then I get home and knock all my stuff on the floor and just like that you're right back in my head. These stupid walkie talkies...what was I thinking?" He laughed annoyed with himself but let himself truly think about why he got the walkie talkies. He was terrified of losing Maggie when he got them and yet he'd lost her anyway.

"You never believed me when I told you that I was in love with you, did you?" He spoke sadly licking his lips. He wasn't really waiting on an answer but he was still upset that he didn't receive one.

"Maybe you didn't care about me as much as you thought you did. I find it really hard to believe that when you love someone, you could just push them out of your life like this. I mean, if I wasn't so pissed off, I'd actually feel sorry I ever made you feel this way. I guess that's just karma right?" Stiles chuckled bitterly.

"Wherever you are, whatever you're doing...I hope you are happy to know that you've sufficiently made me regret falling in love with you." Stiles anger got the better of him as he stood up quickly and launched the walkie talkie at the wall, watching it break into three different pieces. He felt his chest rising and falling heavily as he tried to calm himself down.

What he didn't know is that he wasn't just talking to a void. Maggie stood in her room staring at the port that held her walkie talkie and let a tear roll down her cheek. She had rushed into the house to get supplies that Deaton had asked her to pick up when she heard Stiles voice in her bedroom. She couldn't help but stop what she was doing and listen to him talk. She may have hardened herself in the past few months but the moment she heard his voice, it was like the whole world stopped so he could be heard. Her heart ticked for just a slight moment reminding her of the boy she hadn't been able to reach out to. She could tell he'd been drinking just by hearing the slight slurring of his voice but she could also hear the angst as he spilled his guts to a presumed empty room. She tried to shake off his words but they followed her. She popped up from the ice bath to see Deaton with a towel and dry clothes with a look of disappointment on his face.

"Your mind isn't focused. We can't break through the block if you aren't focused. You know that." He reminded her as she dried herself off.

"I know." Maggie pinched the bridge of her nose growing increasingly frustrated with herself. She knew that there was a reason Deaton had told her she had to cut Scott and Stiles out of her life while training and this was a prime example of why.

"Are you still having trouble sleeping?" Deaton questioned looking Maggie over.

"I'm always having trouble sleeping but I guess that comes with the territory of killing someone." Maggie pulled her shirt over her head, not caring that her wet bra defeated the purpose of the dry clothes.

"If you hadn't killed her, she would have killed Isaac." Deaton reminded her. Maggie rolled her eyes at Deaton.

"I know that, I didn't say I regretted killing her. It's just kind of a pain now to have to take something in order to sleep peacefully through the night. I'd rather welcome the nightmares if it means I'm practically defenseless in my sleep." Maggie tossed the towel on the metal table as she pulled on some jeans.

"Derek mentioned some concerns he had about you. He thinks maybe it's time you reached out to Scott-" Maggie cut Deaton off.

"That's a terrible idea. You were right about them being distractions. I can't bring them into this right now. We're too close to finding Erica and Boyd. I can't afford to be anymore distracted than I already am." Maggie explained firmly. He gave her a nod knowing that the more time that passed that she couldn't access her memory to remember the scent of the alphas in order to track them down, was another day she became closed off. She had taken his words to heart instantly realizing just how dangerous the alpha's were. No matter how much Scott and Stiles hated her for what she was doing, she knew it was the right thing to do.

"School is starting back soon. You'll need to tell them eventually." Deaton smiled slightly.

"I've been thinking about not going back. I can home-school or something." Maggie shrugged earning a laugh from Deaton.

"Who do you think will be able to home school you exactly? I'm a veterinarian emissary but I don't exactly have the time to tutor you in Chemistry." Deaton joked but Maggie let out a sigh.

"You need to go back to school Maggie. You'll need to talk to Scott and Stiles about all of this, maybe not in gross detail but enough so they know why you needed the time and space." Deaton put his hand on Maggie's shoulder trying to comfort her. The time she spent with him this summer made her realize why Scott looked up to him as a father figure. He had a gentle yet strong nature about him that made you feel at ease even in the most tense of situations.

"I'm not going back to school until we take care of the alpha pack which means we're running out of time." Maggie leaned back against the metal table staring down at the ice bath. She had been put through the tortuous ice bath quite a few times since recovering from the alpha attack trying to fish the memories out of her subconscious. It always wrecked her afterwards but she had promised Erica that she would save them. She couldn't stand that she was in the hands of the alphas still even after promising to stay strong.

"It's getting late. We can pick this up again tomorrow." Maggie shook her head at Deaton.

"I want to try again." She slid out of her pants once more and tossed them on the table.

"I don't recommend that at all. You know how risky this procedure is, especially for you." Deaton's expression became even more concerned watching Maggie de-robe once more.

"I don't care. I need to remember the scent. There's no telling how much time they have left and the next full moon is coming up. You said it yourself, I have to go back to school soon and I'm not going to be able to focus on a semi normal life if I'm worried about protecting everyone I care about from the alphas while they stand on the front lines." Maggie grabbed the bag of ice from the freezer and sat it at Deaton's feet. She knew he had his objections but she didn't care. He took the bag and dumped it into the tub as Maggie prepared herself for the icy pain once more. She took a few deep breaths, completely clearing her mind of Scott and Stiles and focusing on that night she killed Laci, the blood on her hands and the feeling of Deucalion's hands on her face before letting Deaton inject her with the serum. She laid back in the water and fell back into her memories to see what she could pull out of it.

When Derek had gotten back to the loft that night, he could hear Bob Dylan's Hurricane playing from up in Maggie's room. He walked up the steps to see her sitting on the bed with a notebook on her lap and a vintage vinyl player sitting in the corner.

"There's food in the fridge." Maggie said without looking up at him. He waited for a few moments to see if she would actually acknowledge him.

"Where did you get that from?" Derek's question made her look up at him before glancing over to the player with a shrug.

"Oh dad said it was a late birthday present. It's pretty nice actually." Derek's eyebrows went up. She glanced over at him seeing a stunned look on his face.

"It's just a vinyl player Derek. I still love your gift more." Maggie teased slightly but Derek shook his head.

"I don't think I've ever heard you call him dad before." Derek's words made Maggie stare at him for a few moments, trying to register just what kind of emotions were coming off of Derek. She didn't know what to say so she didn't bother saying anything. Derek turned around to leave the room but Maggie finally spoke up.

"Stop telling Deaton I need to talk to Scott and Stiles. You made me a promise. Don't break it." Derek didn't turn around. He stopped walking and looked over his shoulder.

"You made me a promise too." Derek reminded her making her grow silent again. She knew what promise he was referring to but calling him out on checking up on her with Deaton would only start another argument. He left her room and caught Peter's scent almost immediately. He darted out towards the lift and came face to face with his smug uncle as the doors opened.

"Hello nephew-" Derek put his hand around Peter's throat backing him into the elevator with a growl. Peter put his hands up in surrender with an amused looked on his face.

"If you hurt her...if any of this was supposed to be a way to use her in any way, I will have no problem cutting your head off and making sure there isn't a spell, chant, voodoo priestess or whatever other loophole you could think of to bring yourself back." Derek growled in Peter's face. Peter could feel the stink of jealousy coming off of Derek but he also felt the anger in the way his claws dug into his throat.

"Green is really more Maggie's color, Derek. But all I can say is that my intentions for Maggie are pure. No matter how much you care for her, she'll always be my daughter." Peter said slowly making Derek grit his teeth. He let his hand drop from around Peter's neck and took a step back as Peter patted him on the shoulder. Derek went to the roof to think while Peter visited with Maggie. He didn't know what to do. He thought about calling Scott, he thought about actually taking Maggie and running for it but nothing seemed like a reasonable option. He heard the door open behind him and caught Maggie's scent as she walked up to the edge to stand next to him.

"Peter leave?" He asked before she could say anything.

"Yeah he left." Maggie answered keeping her eyes in the same direction as Derek's. They stood silently for a few moments before she looked over at him.

"You know that I need you right? I can't do this without you." Maggie's words made Derek furrow his eyebrows together.

"What are you talking about? I'm right here." He grumbled.

"I know you're worried about me with him but I'm not stupid. I'm not going to forget what he's done. You and Isaac are the only thing's getting me through everything right now and if you start looking at me like I'm falling apart, I'm going to lose it." Derek looked over at Maggie seeing how grown she looked. In just 4 months, she had seemed to transform. Whatever innocence she had left was slowly being diminished by the day to day grind she put herself through.

"This is all going to get a lot worse before it gets better Maggie. I need you to start being more careful. I promised I would keep your secret from Scott and Stiles but you promised me that you wouldn't get reckless. I want you around for a very long time." Maggie nodded her head at Derek leaning into his shoulder. He closed his eyes for a moment before turning and letting her lean into him. He kissed her forehead affectionately wishing away her silent struggle in his own mind before the door to the roof opened again. Isaac popped something into his mouth and smiled.

"It's still strange to see you hug someone." He walked towards the two of them as they pulled away from one another.

"Do you think you could land on your feet if I threw you off this roof?" Derek threatened making Isaac glance over the edge.

"Play nice, both of you." Maggie hit the both on the chest with the back of her hands. The three of them stood looking out at the lights of Beacon Hills. The town seemed so quiet and peaceful at night but they knew what lurked in the shadows. They knew what was after them and in their eyes, it would only end in bloodshed. Maggie reached back and laced her fingers with Derek and Isaac. They didn't question the gesture. They'd actually grown used to her reaching out for reassurance. They just weren't sure if it was so she knew they were still there for her or to keep herself anchored.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Authors Note: I typically put these at the top but because this is the final chapter of WLB, I figured I would let you know that the next installment to this series will be called Pull You Back. You can expect it within the next few weeks. Thank you to everyone who read both Strangers and What Lies Beneath. You guys are truly an inspiration and I hope you enjoy what I have in store for S3A.


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